The Boy With No Name
by Raven Wolfmoon
Summary: As far as he knew, he didn't have a name. Even his earliest memories provided no hint, since he had been called 'freak,' 'demon,' and 'monster' as far back as he could remember. Cuteness/angst! Slightly AU.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Oh boy. I never thought I would write for the Naruto fandom…although I _am_ a fan, it's just so ridiculous sometimes…! I suppose Naruto just provides me the perfect environment for an angsty/cute fic, since in no other fandom (except perhaps Harry Potter) can people realistically HATE a completely innocent child for something that's not their fault. Thus, this fic was born…from a dream I had, actually. Enjoy!_

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_Chapter 1

As far as he knew, he didn't have a name. Even his earliest memories provided no hint, since he had been called 'freak,' 'demon,' and 'monster' as far back as he could remember. At first, in his childish innocence, he had glowed with pride at the variety he was given. No other child had so many names, and he learned quickly that he was special. He had reveled in this discovery before it happened. A raised fist, a burning face. He had been silly then, for he had cried out in pain and been rewarded with no dinner. It had confused him. He thought he was special. But apparently being special meant that he was the only one not allowed to eat, that he was the only one the other children were encouraged to mock, that he was the only one to be beaten and tossed aside like nothing.

He had been very young then, and had had no strength with which to fight back. Even now at the ripe age of six years old, he hadn't really found a way to resist what happened to him. Now he accepted his specialness, and when those names reserved especially for him were called, he responded. Despite the pain that usually ensued, he felt better knowing that at least he had a place in this world and that he was someone.

Although he still lived in the orphanage, he avoided it as much as possible. This arrangement seemed to work best for the woman in charge. He didn't know her real name, but all the children called her 'Mama-san.' In the beginning, he had thought she was a mean person since she liked to hit people, but then he realized that the only one she hit was him. It had caused him to think about what was wrong with him, since he tried to copy the others but was always time and time again singled out. He finally guessed that it had something to do with the weird markings on his body: the whiskers on his face and the strange tattoo-like thing on his stomach.

Once, when he had taken off his shirt in the summer heat, Mama-san's eyes had fixed on his abdomen and he had witnessed true hate manifested there. Immediately, she ordered him to cover up and had forced several sweaters over his skinny frame to hide the strange marking. Then, she had dragged him up the stairs and shoved him in the attic, telling him before she left that if he so much as thought about taking off the sweaters, that he would never eat again. He had gulped in fear since she barely fed him as is, and he really disliked the rumbling of an empty and desperate stomach.

He didn't know how long he had stayed in that attic. Gaps appeared in his memory whenever he blacked out from the heat, and there were no windows or indicators of time passing. He only knew when Mama-san returned, yanked off all but one sweater, pulled him downstairs into a bedroom, and told him to make himself presentable. Dizzy and famished, he had swayed on the spot but nodded complacently, wondering if he had won a victory when she didn't strike him. The thought had filled him with warmth before a knock came on the door and in entered an old man wearing white robes. He was surprised when the old man came directly over to him, and he mentally prepared to be hit. Instead, the man simply knelt before him.

"Hello, Naruto."

Naruto? What was that? Was the old man talking to _him_? Didn't he know that he was special?

"Hello," he answered shyly, staring at his feet.

"Do you remember me, Naruto? I came and visited you a while ago."

He decided that he liked the man's voice. It was soft and gentle, unlike the jeering and spitting he experienced from nearly everyone else.

"Umm," he murmured, trying to think. Unfortunately, his brain was rather fuzzy and he couldn't really keep anything straight. "I dunno."

The old man smiled. "That's alright. You were a little younger, so perhaps not. Anyway—"

"Who are you?" he burst out. He could hear a hiss from the doorway where Mama-san was obviously eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Well, Naruto, I'm the Hokage. I'm the leader of all of Konoha," the Hokage stated patiently.

Naruto racked his mind and thought of all the people he had seen on only his brief excursions into town.

"Wow, you lead lots of people!" he exclaimed.

The Hokage chuckled. "I suppose I do."

"So who's that guy over there in the dog mask? Is he a friend of yours? Do you play with him?"

The Hokage laughed again. "He is part of the ANBU, a secret class of shinobi, some of whom protect me. I guess we are friends, but we don't play together very often."

"Who does he protect you from?"

"Bad guys," the Hokage answered simply. The old man's wrinkled face creased into a frown when Naruto grew downcast. "What's wrong, Naruto?"

"You came to get rid of me."

The Hokage was horrified. "No, not at all! What makes you think that?"

"I'm a bad guy," Naruto said to his feet. "You came to get rid of me and that's why you're talking to me."

The Hokage put a bracing hand on Naruto's shoulder and recoiled slightly when he brushed across the boy's neck. "Naruto, you're burning up! Here, let's get this off you." The Hokage helped Naruto ease out of the enlarged sweater, cursing that he had not noticed it earlier. On Naruto's torso, he saw the telltale signs of a rash and wondered why Naruto had worn such a piece of clothing. He thought he knew the answer, and it only made his scowl deepen.

"Naruto, why were you wearing such a sweater in this heat?"

"Because I'm a bad person," he mumbled.

"Naruto, listen to me. You are _not_ a bad person. Do you understand?"

He gazed up at the old man with such a bewildered expression that the Hokage had to swallow a painful lump in his throat.

"But…" Naruto protested feebly, trying to make sense of what the old man had told him. "I have to be a bad person. I'm special." He gasped suddenly. "A-are you special too? Is that why you're talking to me?" His brightened face grew grim as he corrected himself. "No, you're not. You have friends."

The Hokage blanched and squeezed his eyes shut in pain. When he reopened them, he carefully scrutinized the boy before him and saw that Naruto's eyes were glazed, and that his ribs were showing.

"Naruto, when's the last time you ate anything? I want you to tell me truthfully."

Naruto bit his lip, trying to think. That's when the dots appeared, and he began to blink rapidly. The next thing he knew was absolute nothingness.

The Hokage rushed forward to catch Naruto in his arms, aware of what an answer that was. As he gently planted Naruto on the bed, he barked at Mama-san to feed him better and that if she ever tried to harm Naruto like that again, she would pay for it dearly. Mama-san nodded fearfully, but knew that nothing would change (at least in her demeanor toward the boy) and even the Hokage couldn't do a thing about it.

Naruto felt strange as he slowly regained consciousness. He was shivering and yet things were poking him all over. When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying outside of the orphanage in the pouring rain. As he tried to sit up, he saw that leftover food was smeared all over his stomach, and could imagine that Mama-san had simply dumped it there. He had to admit that, even though it was soaked through, it was more than he had ever been given before, so he ate as much of it as he could. He didn't even know what it was, but his stomach was satisfied for the moment.

That night, it rained unabated until the early hours of the morning. Humidity was still in the air, but the rain was cold and he was forced to endure it. The orphanage had been locked and he tried to huddle underneath the eaves of the building to escape the torrents, but it was a futile process. He still got drenched anyway. Despite this, though, he felt a strange sense of freedom outside of the building that had housed him since he could remember. He was no longer confined in those walls. Even though he was a bad person, suddenly the night seemed like it was his to own and cherish, and he stood to dance in the rain and celebrate. His elation was brief but enough to give him an idea: he wanted to explore ALL of Konoha.

His first escapades into the village were memorable, to say the least. The first occurred the very next morning after he stole through a small window in the orphanage to grab a shirt. It was a hand-me-down, worn thing, but it effectively covered his abdomen and the weird marking there. After that was completed, he wandered into the center of Konoha. Due to the weather and early hour, there were barely any people to scoff at his presence, and the few who did did not escape his notice. He had wondered if he was considered special everywhere, and at least now he knew the truth. He was indeed a bad person and would be treated as such no matter where he went.

As he strolled down the length of Konoha, darting down side streets and gawking unabashedly at buildings, he couldn't help but feel happy. Even though he was special, bad people like him could still be happy, couldn't they? He watched in fascination as shops opened and he was allowed to stare momentarily into their windows. There were so many things he saw that he had never seen before, and all of them were interesting in their own right. He wished that he could try some of them out, but the cold glares of shopkeepers and even a woman's broom prevented him from entering nearly all of the shops. Still, this did not depress him. Even when he was literally kicked out of one of the places, the bruise only served to remind him what a wonderful and enlightening day this had been. He was indeed so enthralled that the insults and curses thrown in his direction bounced right off.

His day was going very well until he opened his big, stupid mouth. Everything was so new and his curiosity was so piqued that he couldn't help it. There were these people walking through town that massively intrigued him. Everyone seemed to part in order to give them room, and they walked in this large group with something in the center which he knew was what they were trying to protect. What he didn't understand was how they could see when they didn't have eyes. All he could see was white and no pupil. It was very weird and he couldn't help but voice that aloud. Unfortunately, one of the men on the outside of the group heard him and whipped around to glare at him. Apparently he could see after all.

"You!" the man seethed. He grabbed him roughly and shook him. "How dare you defile the Hyuuga name, you despicable demon child! You should be taught your place!" The man then began to kick him in the ribs. His only reaction to this was to curl into a ball. He felt himself be picked up and thrown again, then another foot connected and he was hurled into a small stand that smelled delicious. His back hit one of the barstools sharply and he let out a whimper as another voice boomed out.

"What is the meaning of this? Leave this child alone!"

"I would watch who you're defending, Teuchi-san! This is the demon!"

"Demon? All I see is a kid getting pummeled for no reason. Now leave my stand immediately or I'll report you to the Hokage!"

The other man scoffed but left, spitting curses.

"Are you okay?" came another voice, and he glanced up dazedly to see a very pretty girl with brown hair gazing down at him concernedly.

"Uh-huh," he murmured through broken lips. He was glad that he was able to heal, for he knew that some of his ribs had been broken but were already being repaired. He didn't want to worry this nice girl and who he assumed her father anymore. He didn't want people to associate them with a bad person like him.

"My name is Ayame. Here, come sit down. Father—?"

"Already on it. Say, boy, how would you like some ramen?"

He eyed the kind old man and blinked. In that instant he decided that he liked him, and the smells wafting around the place certainly helped. Even if he only got to taste a bit of whatever they were preparing for him, he knew he'd be happy. That's when he glanced over at another customer and saw him glaring in disgust. The man slapped some money on the counter and left, leaving his meal only partly finished.

Suddenly, he felt very sick.

"I don't…I don't have any money so…" he spoke feebly as the girl, Ayame, returned from the back and began to wipe off his face with a small cloth.

"Bah, no problem," Teuchi waved dismissively. "I'm just worried that you got hurt."

"Oh, I'm fine. I heal pretty fast so I'm fine," he stammered, not meeting their gazes. "I don't have any money," he repeated. He had never really had any money ever, and even when he mysteriously got some one day, he was forced to pay one of the older children all of it just so he could use the bathroom.

"Don't worry about it. Here, enjoy. Oh," Teuchi laughed as he went around and hoisted Naruto up so he was sitting on the counter. The barstool had been too far away for the little boy that he was. He grew nervous up there but then a steaming bowl of food was brought before him. He sucked in a huge breath at the sumptuous amount.

"That's all…for me?" he breathed.

"Yup. Now eat up! Put some meat on those bones of yours!" Ayame grinned.

"Itadakimasu!" he cried out as he broke apart his chopsticks and dug in. It was the most delicious meal he had ever tasted.

He learned a lot while meandering through Konoha, and there was one particular thing that was the most important: people. He learned which people were good, and which were bad. Most of the people he encountered were logged away into his mind as those who were cruel to him, but there were a select few who seemed to forgive his specialness. They didn't seem to mind that he was a bad person.

The first two that made that list were Teuchi and his daughter Ayame, whom he nicknamed Ramen-ojii-san and Ramen-onee-san. Whenever he stopped by, they had a warm meal ready for him and they even talked to him. They asked him questions, he answered, and then he asked _them_ questions. He found that it was a very enjoyable experience to just talk to someone that didn't have hard eyes and even harder fists. He was also able to get a lot of questions answered, although he made sure not to ask the tough ones that even eluded him. He didn't know why he was a bad person, and he discovered that when he brought that up, Ramen-ojii-san and Ramen-onee-san got very sad. He hated to see them like that, so he kept his questions shallow from that point on and decided to only enjoy their wonderfully delicious charity. Of course, he also made sure to help out whenever they needed it. He had asked to have a job in order to pay them back, but Ramen-ojii-san shook his head and said that all was well. He still wanted to help, so he did when he could.

A few others made that list as well. Once, when he got lost down one of the side streets, the man in the dog mask from before helped him. He decided to call him Inu-san, and was always happy when he caught him following. He wondered why Inu-san would want to trail him, but it was nice to know that he had someone there if he needed them.

Then, of course, there was Scar-san. He first met him at Ichiraku's, and he was the first customer to not leave when he arrived. He didn't like to take away from their business, but Ramen-ojii-san and Ramen-onee-san insisted that he come to the front instead of sneaking around the back for food like some beggar. The man that he thus came to meet called himself Umino Iruka, although he always remembered him due to the scar that split his face.

One day, he and Scar-san were eating when Scar-san spoke up.

"Naruto, how are you doing?"

"Umm, good!" Naruto answered with a grin. He really had never been happier. Even these few people were enough to make him smile like he never had before. It especially helped that he had begun to formulate a list in his head of the people to avoid. It contained most of the town, and the No-Eye People were highlighted very darkly so he made sure to steer clear of them. With this list in his head, he was able to navigate through the village without too many problems.

"Hokage-sama has been worried about you lately," Scar-san continued. "He's talked to Hisae-san at the orphanage and she says that she hasn't seen much of you. Where are you staying?"

The question was innocent enough, but it made Naruto squirm to know that he had been caught. The truth was that he had been sleeping under a bridge just so that he wouldn't have to go back to that awful place. It was still summer, so it wasn't like it got too cold during the night…

"Naruto, you can't continue to sleep under that bridge anymore," Scar-san continued, looking very serious.

Naruto looked down, ashamed. "But…" he protested weakly, realizing that Inu-san must have tattled on him.

Scar-san wore a sad expression. "I understand that it might not be the most fun place to stay, but—"

"No!" Naruto interjected. "I don't wanna stay there!" He glared at Scar-san and ran out of Ichiraku's. Blinded by tears, he didn't really see where he was going. He saw some stairs and ran up them. His pumping legs helped distract him from the millions of questions he had.

Why was it that when he was finally happy, they were going to take it away from him? It was then that he had to remind himself that he was a bad person, a special person, so maybe he wasn't allowed to be happy. That must've been the reason. It didn't make him feel any better to think like that, though.

"Hey, this is _my_ place."

He jumped at the voice and looked around. He had gotten to the roof of a building, and he could see the whole of Konoha from it. It was an impressive view, but who had spoken? His eyes widened when he saw that a kid not much older than himself was reclining on a wooden platform. The kid had spiky black hair that reminded him of a pineapple.

"What're you doing here?" the kid asked as he propped himself up on his elbows to get a better look at him.

Naruto hung his head. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

"For what?" the kid laughed. "I was just kidding. This _is_ my special place to look at the sky, but it's not like it's _mine_. I don't own this whole building!"

Naruto glanced up and peered at this strange kid, hurriedly wiping his nose and eyes.

"What's your name? I'm Nara Shikamaru. I haven't seen you around here."

"I'm…" What was that name some people called him? "I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

"Naruto, huh? Where you from?"

"Konoha," Naruto said immediately.

Shikamaru sighed wearily. "I gathered that. But I thought I would've seen you _somewhere _by now."

"Oh well I've just started coming to town," Naruto explained, standing rigidly. He was surprised that this Shikamaru didn't seem to know that he was talking to a bad person.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm not gonna bite you know. Come sit over here. You can join me in indulging a passion of mine."

Naruto stared at him. "What?"

"Just come over here!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, why not? _You_ don't bite, do you?" Shikamaru asked, fixing him a curious expression.

Naruto giggled. "No, I don't!" He jogged over to where Shikamaru was relaxing and sat on the edge of the wooden stage. "What'cha doin'?"

"I like watching the clouds. You still didn't answer my question, by the way," Shikamaru pointed out snidely.

"Clouds? Isn't that kind of boring?"

Shikamaru scoffed. "First you ignore me, then you insult my favorite pastime!"

Naruto sniffed and stood up. "I'm sorry. I'll go—"

"What? Naw, I'm just joking! Lighten up, Naruto! I'm just curious. I usually remember all the faces I see and I haven't ever seen yours."

Naruto sat back down a little hesitantly and decided to answer honestly. "I used to live in the orphanage on the edge of town."

"Used to?"

"I don't live there anymore," Naruto added, avoiding Shikamaru's questioning gaze as if fearing that everything would be exposed.

"So where do you live now?"

"Somewhere," Naruto said defensively.

"Hmm," Shikamaru hummed thoughtfully before changing the subject. "Must be hard being an orphan. My parents annoy me a lot, but not having them at all would be awful. Oh, sorry." He cast a sheepish look in Naruto's direction. "My mom says I have a talent of sticking my foot in my mouth, so don't take what I say too personally."

Naruto eyed him strangely. "You stick your foot in your mouth?" he repeated incredulously.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Never mind. Just lay back and look at the clouds. Today's a great day to do that."

Naruto obeyed and watched as the clouds began to slowly drift by overhead.

"Look," Shikamaru cried suddenly, pointing. "That one looks like a dog lying down, doesn't it?"

Naruto followed his gaze and squinted fiercely. "Looks more to me like a cup of ramen fell over and noodles are spilling out."

"What?" Shikamaru said laughingly. Shikamaru turned to Naruto only to see that the blond had become shame-faced. Shikamaru returned his gaze to the sky. "Yeah, I guess it does look like that," he agreed, grinning as Naruto cracked a small smile.

The next day, Naruto arrived at Ichiraku's just as it was opening with a huge grin on his face. Ramen-ojii-san laughed as Naruto related the events leading up to meeting Shikamaru. He jumped all over the place, waving his arms dramatically, as he exclaimed that Shikamaru asked if they could meet again the next day.

"I take it you're going to go see him, then?" Teuchi chuckled as Naruto nodded so vigorously that his head threatened to fly off. He was glad that Naruto had finally found someone his own age to play with that wouldn't cast him aside like so many of the others had been told to do.

"Is Scar-san coming?" Naruto piped up, fidgeting on the barstool as he reached up to the counter.

"You mean Iruka-san?" Ayame corrected him automatically.

Naruto's face clouded slightly, but his smile remained intact. "Yeah, Iruka-san. Is he coming?"

"I can't say," Teuchi spoke up. "We did just open up! Do you realize what time it is?"

"I know, I was just too excited!" Naruto exclaimed happily. His expression darkened as his grin faded. "I suppose he's mad at me for running out yesterday."

"He's just worried about you," Ayame said. "You want your usual for breakfast?"

He sighed. "I…I want to pay for it, but…"

"Don't worry. Iruka talked to us and the Hokage is compensating us for your meals. We just need to fill you with more than ramen, young man! You need to grow up big and strong, after all," Teuchi said.

Naruto looked relieved after that. "But what is there besides ramen?"

"What is there besides ramen? A lot of things!" Teuchi laughed. "Here, let me show you something." Naruto watched with wide eyes as Teuchi cracked some eggs into a rectangular pan and began to cook it. When it started to set, he rolled it up and then added another layer, rolling them into each other until he was satisfied. Then, carefully topping it with fish paste and soy sauce, he handed it to Naruto with a grin.

"You're the best cook ever!" Naruto exclaimed upon taking a bite of what Teuchi called tamagoyaki. Teuchi just laughed.

After Naruto finished his breakfast and thanked Ramen-ojii-san and Ramen-onee-san he stood up to leave, suddenly nervous about meeting Shikamaru. Had yesterday just been a fluke? Did Shikamaru really want to play with him as he had said? No one had ever wanted to before because they knew he was bad… Maybe he should tell Shikamaru? He didn't want him to get hurt. In all honesty, as excited as he was, this same doubt had kept him awake for most of the night.

"Naruto, you okay?" Teuchi asked, noticing his sudden crestfallenness.

"Uh…yeah. I guess."

"Well then, go have fun with your friend!"

He was just about to turn and leave when that word made him freeze in place.

"Friend?" he repeated fearfully, pivoting to lock gazes with the old man.

"Yeah. That kid, what's his name, Shikamaru," Teuchi clarified, nodding.

Naruto stared at him fully with unabashed shock. "He could be my friend," he breathed. "Really?" He dared think it was possible. He wasn't allowed to be happy, to have friends. But would Shikamaru feel the same way?

"Of course! Now go run along!" Teuchi encouraged, smiling reassuredly.

Naruto's eyes sparkled as he pumped a fist in the air. "Yeah! Okay! Bye!" he called over his shoulder as he raced out of Ichiraku's. Teuchi watched him go and sadly shook his head, praying that this Shikamaru wouldn't reject Naruto. Naruto had such fragile trust in people, and he feared the poor boy would break if Shikamaru did even the tiniest thing wrong.

Teuchi's worries were for naught, though, as Naruto enjoyed the best day in his life. Shikamaru was a really fun and cool person, as Naruto quickly discovered. After meeting in the same location as the previous day, Shikamaru commenced showing Naruto other favorite spots of his to cloud-gaze. Naruto had to admit that he was rather relieved that these places were obscure and off the beaten path, since he didn't know how Shikamaru would react to his usual treatment by the townspeople. He was still afraid that Shikamaru wouldn't want to play with him after learning that he was a bad person, but luckily that issue did not come up. Together, they explored the remotest areas of Konoha and ended up on a grassy knoll on the outskirts of town. It was a private sanctuary where both boys simply lazed around in silence. Naruto was mostly pleased by this activity not only because Shikamaru didn't ask any more demanding, personal questions but also because he had never shared camaraderie with anyone his age before, and it was a novel experience.

After a little while, they got hungry and Shikamaru shared with him a bento his mother had packed. Shikamaru complained and grimaced as he removed some very feline onigiri, but Naruto just thought they were cute. At that comment, Shikamaru scoffed and told Naruto that maybe he was lucky he didn't have a mom because his was the worst at embarrassing her only son.

"Have you ever gotten something on your face but didn't know it, and you were just walking around looking dumb? Well, that's happened to me, but a hundred times worse since my mom always notices, takes out a handkerchief, spits on it and wipes it off my face. In front of everyone!" Shikamaru exclaimed. "I am almost seven years old! I think I can take care of that myself! But she's just so annoying!"

Naruto was thoughtful. "That was kind of nice of her, though," he mused aloud before ducking his head in embarrassment.

Shikamaru frowned at him and then shrugged. "Yeah, I guess," he consented.

The next few days passed much in the same way, although Naruto never had more fun before in his life. He wondered if maybe he and Shikamaru were becoming friends! Even though he wanted desperately to believe that, it was growing more and more difficult since he knew that eventually, Shikamaru would realize that he was a bad person and then it would be up to him whether to join the good list or the bad. Naruto really hoped that Shikamaru wouldn't end up on the list of people he had to avoid, because just the thought of that made his heart ache. Unfortunately, he couldn't completely rule out that possibility, no matter how badly he desired otherwise.

Later that week, Shikamaru led Naruto to a spot where another boy stood. Proudly, Shikamaru went and clapped a hand on the chubby boy's shoulder.

"Naruto, this here is my friend Akimichi Choji. He and his family just got back from vacation. His father and my father go _way_ back."

Naruto put a smile on his face but inside felt like crying. So he had just been a replacement. He felt like he had gotten kicked in the gut.

"I'm…" he faltered, wondering if he should introduce himself accurately this time as 'demon' or 'monster.' When he glanced up, though, he saw that Choji looked nervous and shy too. "Nice to meet you," he corrected himself as he smiled at the other boy.

Choji awkwardly grinned back, and held out a bag of something which he offered to Naruto.

"Want some potato chips?"

Naruto blinked. "Potato chips? What're those?" He wondered if he had said something wrong when Choji's eyes began to blaze fiercely.

"You've never had potato chips before?" Choji demanded, all traces of his previous demeanor forgotten in his outrage. "That is…that's crazy! You don't know what you're missing!"

"Really?" Naruto whispered, slightly taken aback. He glanced fearfully at Shikamaru, but the spiky-haired boy was muffling laughter behind his hand. Naruto calmed slightly and asked if he could try a potato chip. As he crunched into his first one, he let the taste fill his mouth and he exclaimed that they were delicious. After that, Choji settled down and the three of them went off to play together.

That night, as Naruto returned to the underside of his bridge, he thought of all the wonderful things he had done with his…friends? Were they his friends? His heart said yes, and that was enough for him to be happy for the rest of his life, even if he was sleeping in the dirt and eating only one meal a day. Naruto had seen his effect on Ichiraku's customers and knew that Ramen-ojii-san was losing money thanks to him, so he forced himself to a limit of one Ichiraku's meal a day. Any other food he found would complement this diet, whether it was snacks from Shikamaru or Choji or things he foraged for on his own. While this was certainly more food than he was used to, and of course far better company, he was still hungry at times.

The only bad thing was that he had to avoid Scar-san. It was hard because Naruto liked him a lot, and he had so few people that actually accepted him. It was just that he didn't want to go back to the orphanage. He really didn't mind this bridge or sleeping outdoors, and he could deal with the chill. He had suffered worse elsewhere.

Thinking about Scar-san made Naruto him that he had skipped out on dinner at Ichiraku's because he had seen him there. His stomach also reminded him as it growled menacingly. Rummaging through a small bag he had found, he pulled out some mushrooms he had picked. They looked delicious, and without any hesitation, he stuffed them in his mouth. He grimaced. They may have _looked_ delicious, but they tasted disgusting! It was even hard to swallow! Still, it was food, so he finished what he had and settled down for a good night's sleep.

Naruto was awakened in the middle of the night by a severe pain in his stomach, followed by an urge to vomit. He leaped out of the bridge and retched, puking up his previous meal. Even when his dry heaves faded, he still felt awful. His head ached and he felt abruptly dizzy. He crawled back into his spot and tried to fall back asleep, but the nausea and headache continued, allowing him no respite. By the time the sun came up, he was in even worse condition. He could barely process anything beside the muscle spasms and cramps that ripped through his body. Something was wrong and he was scared, so he forced himself to lurch to his feet and stagger into town. He could barely see where he was going and stumbled often, trying to make his way to Ichiraku's since they had been able to help him before. Of course, what worried him most was that he had never been this sick before. Usually he had healed…what was going on?

He had barely made it into the town limits before a stitch cut through him and he collapsed to the ground, trembling in agony. Pain erupted in his stomach and he clutched it desperately as his body began to shake of its own accord. Naruto shuddered and whimpered as people glanced at him and kept going. Would no one stop? Wait, of course they wouldn't. They thought it would be better to let a bad person die, for surely this is what was happening.

Naruto clenched his fists and began to cry, thinking over his recently found happiness and wishing that he had gotten more of a chance to enjoy it. But maybe it was better this way, better for him to die. He vaguely wondered if his treasured people would miss him before a violent seizure overcame him and he saw nothing more.

The first thing he was aware of was his desperate desire to purge his stomach. Beneath him was soft and he sensed a presence beside him. Unfortunately, he couldn't ponder on this for long since his body demanded release. He sat up blindly, wincing as he turned and vomited into a seemingly projected bucket. A person came over behind him and rubbed his back gently. At this, Naruto blearily opened his eyes and leaned back.

"Who…?" he breathed, blinking to regain focus.

"How are you feeling?"

He knew that voice, and although he was happy to hear it, his belly also squirmed.

"Scar-san?"

"I told you to call me Iruka," Iruka corrected teasingly as he eased Naruto back into some pillows. "Now what's going on? I was making some early rounds this morning and I found you lying on the side of the road, unconscious." The worry in his voice was evident, and Naruto couldn't help but feel warm at that.

"I don't know. I got sick last night. What is this place?"

"This is my apartment," Iruka explained. "You seemed to be doing better and I figured you'd rather avoid the hospital."

Naruto grinned. "Yeah, I feel lots better."

Iruka let out a relieved breath. "That's good. You were pretty pale. Why did you pass out?"

"Umm…" Naruto scrunched up his face as he tried to remember. "Well, I ate some mushrooms—"

"Mushrooms?" Iruka repeated in astonishment. "Naruto!" He seemed to want to lecture about something but realized that he couldn't in this case. Instead, he sighed. "This is what the Hokage and I are worried about! You can't keep living on your own! What would have happened to you if I hadn't found you?"

"I would've gotten better," he mumbled unhappily.

Iruka stared at Naruto, frowning. "Naruto, you know better than me that there are people that could have hurt you when you were like that, and you wouldn't have been able to defend yourself. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if something happened to you!"

Naruto hung his head ashamedly.

"I wish that I could make you see that this is for the best," Iruka continued softly. "You have to go back to the orphanage. It's the safest place for you."

"Safest place?" Naruto exploded suddenly. "But Mama-san hurts me and locks me up and never feeds me and and…I'm happier outside under my bridge!"

Iruka was stunned as Naruto began to sniffle.

"Mama-san hates me, everyone hates me! Why am I such a bad person?" he whispered, hugging himself. Suddenly, he was engulfed in a massive hug by stronger, warmer arms.

"Naruto, you could never be a bad person. You don't deserve any of their hatred. They are just ignorant people who want something to blame. It's not your fault and it will _never_ be your fault. Do you understand me? I don't want you to think like that ever again!"

Naruto turned and buried himself in Iruka's chest, sobbing brokenly. Iruka held him tightly and didn't let go until Naruto himself gently pulled away. He stared up at Iruka and saw reflected in the older man's eyes his own pain.

"Why am I…different?" he asked timidly, pleadingly.

Iruka swallowed thickly. "I wish I could tell you, but per the Hokage's orders, anyone that reveals that…will not be allowed to live much longer." He prayed that Naruto wouldn't take that news in the wrong way.

Naruto looked thoughtful. "So…not everyone knows?"

Iruka nodded.

"And you…you know?" Naruto continued.

Again, Iruka nodded and held his breath.

Naruto sighed and then cracked a small smile. "Must be pretty important."

Iruka chuckled. "Yes. You are very important."

Naruto rolled his eyes, or at least tried to. He couldn't quite imitate Shikamaru perfectly yet.

"That's not what I meant!"

Iruka ignored his petulance and raised his hand to ruffle Naruto's hair affectionately. His heart seized when the boy winced despite himself. His mind began to turn and he froze when a thought occurred to him.

"Naruto, would you mind waiting here? I need to go talk to the Hokage for a moment."

"Okay," Naruto agreed obediently. He watched Iruka's back as the Chuunin stepped out of the bedroom and disappeared around the corner.

"Hopefully this won't take too long. Feel free to look around while I'm gone," Iruka called out from an unknown location as the sound of a door closing echoed out moments later.

Naruto sat on the bed for a moment and decided that he wanted to roll in the blankets. It had been a while since he had slept on real bed…actually, had he ever slept on a real bed? Iruka's huge, double-sized one felt amazingly comfortable and despite his curiosity, sleep tugged at his eyelids.

A few hours later, Naruto woke up upon hearing his name. He sat up and rubbed his eyes blearily.

"Naruto, I have great news!" Iruka sat upon the bed and eyed Naruto anxiously. "Well, I guess I should ask you first. This is a bit random, and I'm not sure if I can do it… I mean, I barely make enough money to support myself but… Anyway, I was wondering if you'd like to live with me."

Throughout Iruka's fragmented speech, Naruto had stared at him, utterly perplexed and still drowsy from sleep. By the end, though, he was wide awake and his mouth was wide open.

"You…mean…" he breathed in wonder. At first, he was gripped by elation and wanted to cheer to the world. But then reality set in and his shoulders slumped as he shook his head. "I can't," he choked out.

Iruka swallowed, his jaw tight. "I know, it was too forward of me. I'm sorry—"

"No, I _want_ to live with you but…" Naruto jumped in, trying to explain himself. Before he could stop himself, he blurted, "I just don't want you to become bad too." He hid his face as Iruka inhaled a sharp breath. After a few moments, the Chuunin spoke up, his voice full of emotion.

"I thought I told you to never think like that again."

Naruto huddled deeper into himself.

"But I want you to know that I don't care. We'll be bad together if that's what it takes."

Naruto glanced up, his eyes shining. "But—"

"No buts!" Iruka interrupted sternly. Although his voice was cold, his eyes sparkled.

Naruto blinked up at him. "Is this a dream?" he asked in the quietest of voices.

Iruka smiled warmly. "No, but I know a place whose food brings you close to one. I'll treat you at Ichiraku's. Wanna come?"

Naruto nodded vigorously and bounded after him.

* * *

_A/N: Well, I hope you liked the first chapter! I've been in the mood to write this recently, but I must admit that I will soon be heading back to college, so I can't guarantee that the next update will be soon. However, reviews are always inspiring! I would love to hear your thoughts about this story, and I apologize if some details seem inaccurate, seeing as Naruto is definitely NOT my favorite Anime out there. Of course, picking out mistakes is the job of my completely Narutarded beta (her words, not mine!), iheartmwpp, so thanks to her for helping me out! _


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Sorry for any confusion – I guess I forgot to mention that this story is a bit AU! I guess my interference really changes things, haha! I must say, though, that I wish this WAS canon! Enjoy as a holiday treat, everyone!_

_

* * *

_Chapter 2

"Thanks for the meal, Ramen-ojii-san!" Naruto called over his shoulder as he and Iruka left Ichiraku's. Naruto was in the highest possible spirits, and as a result, was practically skipping as he and Iruka wandered downtown. Iruka had promised to buy Naruto some new clothes, and knew a place that would most likely allow his entry. It turned out that his suspicions were correct and as Naruto left the shop, he was decked out in some tan shorts and a green shirt that actually fit him. He did miss Iruka's old shirt though, which Iruka had let him borrow since his previous one could barely be considered clothing.

"Hey, Scar-sa—I mean, Iruka-san?"

"Yes?"

"Can we stop somewhere really quick?"

"Sure. Lead the way."

As Naruto and Iruka made their way through town, Naruto couldn't help but notice the additional glares people were sending in Iruka's direction. It made his heart clench painfully, but he knew that Iruka was stubborn and wouldn't change his mind. Naruto had already tried again…feebly though, since he was _really_ looking forward to this new living arrangement.

"Naruto?"

They had stopped near a bridge on the outskirts of town, and Iruka had a frown on his face.

"I just wanted to pick up some things I forgot to grab," Naruto explained as he disappeared underneath the bridge and emerged carrying what looked like a used potato chip bag, a rock, a dirty cloth and some old chopsticks.

"What're these things?" Iruka asked, curiously eyeing what appeared to be trash.

"These are good memories," Naruto said. "This is when I met Choji, the rock I found the day I met Shikamaru, this cloth is from Ramen-onee-chan when I first ate there and then these chopsticks…they were from the first meal I had with you."

Iruka swallowed a lump in his throat as he carefully embraced the younger boy who tried really hard not to flinch away.

"Sorry," Naruto apologized, seeing the expression on Iruka's face.

"What are you apologizing for? These are lovely keepsakes. You can put them on the shelf when we get home," Iruka told him, causing Naruto to smile at the use of pronouns and the fact that he now had a home. What an amazing concept that was! Still, he grew slightly disheartened when the villagers set their hatred on Iruka as they marched through Konoha, hand-in-hand. Naruto resolved that he had to do something to make up for Iruka's kindness, but what? That indeed was the question.

When they got back to Iruka's apartment, Iruka asked him what his plans were for the day. Naruto wanted to stay with Iruka despite his play-date with Choji and Shikamaru, and voiced this aloud.

"Do you want me to help you send a message to them explaining your situation? Here, we can write it together," Iruka offered, setting out a piece of parchment.

Naruto stared at his feet. "I can't…write," he confessed.

Iruka sighed. "I figured as much. Can you read?"

Naruto shook his head. "Mama-san only taught the others."

"There's got to be a way to get rid of that woman," Iruka growled. "Mayuko-san was so much nicer when I was there."

Naruto gasped. "You lived at the orphanage?"

"Oh, you didn't know? I suppose not. Yes, my parents died when I was eleven. I didn't stay at the orphanage long, but I did live there until I got this apartment on my own."

Naruto watched Iruka intently, initially unsure how to feel. Iruka gave Naruto a reassuring smile and in that moment, as Naruto stared up into his eyes, he suddenly felt like he had found someone who understood him, understood his loneliness, his pain. And now, despite what Iruka had gone through, he was offering his home to help someone like _him_, a boy who was bad. It made tears brim in Naruto's eyes, which he quickly swiped away before Iruka noticed. Iruka was risking so much for him…how could he possibly repay him? The answer came abruptly, and although he wouldn't be able to do it until the next day, it still made him smile to himself. As he tucked away these thoughts, he only hoped it would be enough.

* * *

"Cool place!" Choji said around his mouthful of potato chips. After hearing that Naruto was hanging out at his new home, his two friends decided to drop by later that day and check it out for themselves.

"Yeah, this is pretty nice," Shikamaru agreed, eyeing the large bookshelf in the living room.

"I like your new clothes, too," Choji added. "They look good on you. I'm always outgrowing mine." He grimaced.

Naruto blushed. "Thanks. I like your clothes too, though. They fit you well!"

"For now," Choji grumbled.

"You know your mom loves buying you new clothes!" Shikamaru interjected, laughing, as he clapped his older friend on the back.

"Mm!" Choji murmured with a grin. "I love the way new clothes feel too!" he cried passionately.

Shikamaru and Naruto stared at Choji, exchanged looks with each other as the chubby boy bit his lip nervously, and promptly burst out laughing.

The boys continued their investigation and then bid Naruto farewell, promising to meet up the next day. Naruto then spent the rest of the day relaxing with Iruka. He asked the older man questions and explored the apartment again and again, fixating on even the smallest of details. He wanted to know every inch of his new home! The apartment wasn't very large. It had only one bedroom, one bathroom, a living room and a small kitchen. Still, it was cozy and Naruto couldn't have imagined anything better.

That night, Iruka and Naruto climbed into bed. Naruto snuggled into the blankets and languished in the soft pillow beneath his head.

"Here, Naruto. I want to read you a story."

Iruka's voice became expressive as he recited the tale in the book on his lap. Naruto listened intently at first, and then his eyelids began to droop. Suddenly, Iruka's voice faded away altogether into pleasant dreams.

* * *

The next few weeks were the happiest Naruto had ever experienced in his short lifetime. He had friends, a home and a wonderful man taking care of him. He was well-fed, well-clothed and squeaky clean. Naruto could barely believe how quickly his life had changed. The way he lived before was long gone from his mind, and he was so grateful that he never dwelled upon his past. His life was positive now, why should he focus on negatives?

Unfortunately, not everything was perfect. Naruto still knew that, no matter what Iruka or anyone else told him, something about him was bad. Why else would the villagers treat him so cruelly at times? While he decided it was best to not puzzle over this, he still wanted answers. He figured that Iruka and the others who were kind to him were simply _so kind_ that they ignored his terrible flaws. He thought it was very nice of them to do such a thing, so he focused on making them not regret their decision.

Everyday, he played with Shikamaru and Choji. As Naruto feared, they did venture more into town and, unfortunately, as a result, Shikamaru and Choji were able to witness firsthand the treatment Naruto received. While Naruto steadfastly maintained his blasé façade, he knew they were worried about him, so he tried his best to smile it off and encourage them to concentrate on their game. Although this tactic succeeded, it got harder and harder to convince Shikamaru and Choji that the villager's scorn was unimportant. Each time something happened, he could see the questions surface in his friends' minds. He wished he could respond to them, but he didn't even know the answers himself. Naruto knew it was just a matter of time before they decided that apathy was no longer a solution and would confront him about their concerns. Naruto mentally prepared himself for such a day even as he tried to remain positive in the present.

For Iruka, the man who had gone above and beyond to help him, Naruto did all he could. Despite his small size, he was determined. Unfortunately, this determination proved too strong sometimes. Once, while he was washing the dishes, a wet bowl slipped out of his hands and crashed onto the floor. Naruto panicked instinctively and instead of cleaning up the mess, ran into the corner of the bedroom and sat there, waiting for Iruka to come home and punish him. When Iruka did return, he immediately understood the situation and rushed to reassure him that he was not going to be punished. He even went so far as to take out another bowl and intentionally drop it to prove that bowls didn't matter. This eventually caused Naruto to relax, and it ended with the two of them breaking the rest of the bowls in the small apartment and having to eat their dinner in cups.

On another occasion, Naruto tried to do the laundry and accidentally turned some of Iruka's white shirts pink. To prove that he wasn't mad, Iruka stubbornly wore one to work and endured teasing all day long. Despite the abuse, he decided it was worth it to see Naruto's unabashed smile light up his entire face.

In return for Iruka's endless kindness, Naruto did any chore possible and above all, made sure to be home when Iruka got back from work so he could welcome him back with, "Okaeri!" He loved that time of day most because, no matter how tired Iruka was, he would wipe the exhaustion off his face to grin broadly and pull Naruto into a tight hug. Then, he would ruffle Naruto's hair affectionately and Naruto would giggle happily. Sometimes at night before falling asleep to Iruka's pleasant reading voice, Naruto would wonder if this was what it was like to have a father. The thought always made him feel all bubbly inside. Unfortunately one day, this happy bubble abruptly burst.

Naruto was out playing with Shikamaru and Choji. They were wandering down the main street of Konoha when Choji spotted his favorite sweets shop. Unable to resist, he immediately made a beeline for it, followed by a reluctant Shikamaru. Naruto, though, drew up short.

"I…I'll wait out here," he said, staring at his feet.

"Why?" Choji asked as Shikamaru peered questioningly at Naruto.

"I'm not allowed to go in there," he admitted miserably.

"What? Why not?" Choji persisted, growing angry now that food was involved.

"I don't know. You guys can go in without me," he insisted pleadingly, glancing up at Shikamaru and Choji with an encouraging expression. Shikamaru frowned, seeing right through him.

"Naruto…"

"Go ahead. Really, I'm fine!"

Shikamaru exchanged worried glances with Choji and sighed.

"Alright. We'll be right back. Well, we'll try to be, but Choji takes forever to choose what he wants."

"I can't help it!" Choji huffed. "Everything is just so good!"

Naruto laughed unconvincingly as Shikamaru and Choji reluctantly entered the shop. As Choji went crazy looking and drooling at everything, Shikamaru puzzled over Naruto's strange behavior. He suspected that there was some secret involving Naruto, but it seemed that even Naruto wasn't sure what it was. It was rather troublesome that so many others appeared to know the truth but weren't sharing it with them, most likely because they were seemingly "too young" to understand. Shikamaru hated that. He _wasn't_ that young and he _despised _getting babied! It was so annoying! Especially since even after asking his parents he had learned nothing except that it was a very important secret, which, if revealed, was punishable by death.

Of course, what did the truth really entail? What could possibly make a kid like Naruto deserve all the scorn he received and all the austere secrecy surrounding him? Shikamaru had known Naruto for a little while now, and even he had judged Naruto completely innocent and undeserving of such cruelty. In fact, it was downright wrong. Naruto was just a kid struggling to survive in a harsh world. It was bad enough that he didn't have parents, but to also be harassed everywhere he went? It was no wonder that he had such little confidence and clung so fiercely and desperately to the few that were kind to him.

Shikamaru had to admit that, even though Naruto was annoying sometimes, he really liked him and was really glad that he was his friend. He found himself wanting to make Naruto smile. He wanted Naruto to gain courage, and most of all, he wanted him to be happy. After hearing of Naruto's new living situation, he had appraised Iruka carefully to make sure the man wouldn't hurt Naruto, and had approved of him after some serious interrogation. If it didn't work out, Shikamaru would have something serious to say about it.

Shikamaru was abruptly startled out of his thoughts when he heard scuffling sounds coming from the street. Then there came some yelling and mocking laughter, followed by thumps.

"What's that?" Choji asked Shikamaru, approaching him with a frown.

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "No….!" He raced forward, desperate to prove his suspicions wrong, but it was too late.

Outside on the street, a tiny greenish ball was getting kicked around and jeered at by some older teenagers. Blood had already splattered on the streets, and Shikamaru could hear gasping and whimpering coming from the object of their cruelty.

"Monster! Demon!" one of the bullies cursed, landing a savage blow on the huddled ball, which cried out momentarily before hugging itself tighter.

"He can't even fight back!" laughed another. "He's too scared and weak!"

"Hey, unroll it so we can hit it in the face again!"

"Leave him alone!" Shikamaru yelled as he broke through the huddle and stood in front of Naruto's trembling and bloodied form.

"Yeah, g-go away!" Choji stammered fearfully as he came to stand beside Shikamaru. Both boys glared at the teenagers, daring them to try anything else.

"G-g-g-go away!" one of them mimicked cruelly.

"Who are you, the little demon's bodyguards?" another one sneered.

"Get out of the way! I'm not done paying that monster back for what it did!"

"I'm not moving," Shikamaru declared defiantly, stamping down a foot to emphasize his statement.

"You little bastard!"

Shikamaru grunted as one of the bullies slapped him hard across the face, sending him reeling to the ground.

"Shi-shikama-maru! Are you ok-kay?" came a weak, quivering voice.

"Naruto!" Choji exhaled in surprise as the younger boy shakily rose to his feet. Naruto's eyes were black and swollen and his face was red and puffy from where he had been hit. Bruises covered him all over, and blood dripped from his cracked and broken lips. Despite having been severely beaten, he firmly stood his ground.

"D-don't hurt them. Hurt me," he pleaded before wincing in pain and clutching desperately at his aching stomach.

"Naruto—!" Choji cried out as ran over to support his friend, but he was abruptly stopped by a look.

"N-no. Go. I d-don't want you t-to get hurt."

"Naruto!" Tears began to run down Choji's face as he stubbornly shook his head. "You're hurt and I'm not leaving you!"

By this time, Shikamaru was back on his feet. Although his cheek stung, Naruto was in much worse condition. Naruto turned to him.

"Shika-shikamaru, are you okay?"

"Course I'm okay," Shikamaru muttered dismissively, glaring at Naruto's attackers who were cruelly mimicking them.

The leader laughed. "Aww, isn't it cute that the freak has friends! Maybe we should teach them a lesson for defending a demon like it!"

The three boys braced themselves for an assault before a large voice boomed out.

"What's going on here?"

"Father!" Choji sniffled in relief. Choza shouldered through the group, sweeping his eyes over the scene and understanding what he needed to know. His gaze rested longest on Naruto, who was swaying where he stood.

"I think you'd better leave," he threatened in a low voice as the bullies, taking in his size, backed away and ran off with their tails between their legs. As soon as the immediate danger was over, Naruto crumpled to the ground and lay still.

Choji anxiously ran over and sank beside him, tears spilling from his eyes at seeing Naruto in such a way.

"Father, please help him!" he sobbed.

Choza knew about Naruto's situation, of course, although he had mixed feelings about it. One the one hand, he wasn't a heartless man, and he did have a son Naruto's age so he couldn't help but sympathize with the boy. On the other hand, though, he had to think of his image in the eyes of the village, and not wanting to upset his clan, decided that the safest course of action would be to practice indifference. Normally he would neither go out of his way to be cruel to boy, nor actively be kind to him. His behavior would only change if he caught others treating the boy badly.

In recent weeks, however, Choza had had to sort out an interesting dilemma. When his precious son came home with excited news about making a new friend, Choza was thrilled. That is, until he learned that Choji's new friend was Uzumaki Naruto. His thoughts swirled darkly at first, but then he began to notice how his previously introverted son began to smile and laugh more. Choza realized that this could only be due to his friends, and he couldn't help but feel grateful.

Now, seeing such a small boy like Naruto reduced to such a state, Choza felt his heart clench, and his son's tears stabbed him through the gut. With a nod, he reached down and picked up Naruto in his arms, feeling how thin the boy was. Wordlessly, he carried Naruto through Konoha and back to his home, Shikamaru and Choji somberly trailing behind him.

* * *

Something wet was on his head. It felt so good for a moment that Naruto just let it drag across his forehead and drip down his hot cheeks. Suddenly, he grew alarmed at the memories that abruptly assaulted him. He sat bolt upright in bed, gasping, as the woman who had been attending to him yelped in surprise.

"Oh, you scared me!" she cried as she backed away slightly.

Naruto eyed her in horror, noting her large size. She could hurt him…!

"Naruto! You're finally awake!"

He whipped his head around to his side where Shikamaru and Choji appeared.

"Are you okay?" the chubby boy asked tentatively.

Naruto blinked and nodded slowly.

"Looks like it's true that you heal fast," Shikamaru remarked wryly before his face grew clouded. "You definitely didn't look so good before…"

"I'm sorry," Naruto said automatically, recalling that Shikamaru had been hit.

Shikamaru stared at Naruto. "What?"

Naruto hung his head. "I'm sorry you got hurt because of me. I…I understand if you don't want to be friends anymore…"

"Naruto!" Shikamaru yelled angrily, causing Naruto to glance up fearfully. "Why would I not want to be friends with you?" In frustration, he slammed his fist into the wall. "_I_ should be the one apologizing to you and asking _your_ forgiveness! We're friends! We're supposed to protect each other and I let you get hurt! _You_ should be the one who doesn't want to be friends with _me_!"

Naruto gaped at Shikamaru in astonishment. Before he could even speak, Choji cut in.

"That goes the same for me!" he declared, trying to put a serious expression onto his face.

Naruto blinked in absolute confusion. "B-but…"

"Looks like you have two very loyal friends, Naruto."

The blond looked up and up into the eyes of a very large man who was smiling proudly at him.

"Naruto, this is my father and mother," Choji introduced.

"You poor boy," Choji's mother, Chiharu, said with a worried look. "How can people be so awful? Besides, look how skinny you are! You're just skin and bones! You know, I'm going to go make you something to eat."

Before Naruto could open his mouth to protest, she disappeared around the corner.

"That's my mother for you," Choji explained laughingly.

"And she makes the _best_ food," Shikamaru added.

"So, Naruto, would you like to stay for lunch?" Choza invited from the doorway. "Although," he admitted, grinning widely just like his son, "I don't think you really have a choice!"

Naruto managed a small smile. "Okay."

"You won't regret it," Shikamaru chuckled.

"Come on, I want to show you around before we eat!" Choji exclaimed, leaping forward as his father got out of the way to let them through. Naruto gently slid out of the bed and followed the very eager Choji. Shikamaru joined him.

Naruto glanced sideways at him. "Are you sure you're alright?" he insisted.

Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah, it was nothing." At this, Naruto visibly exhaled in relief and as they exited the bedroom, Shikamaru draped an arm around Naruto's shoulders. He was a little saddened at the tension he felt there due to such unaccustomed human contact, but then Naruto relaxed, and Shikamaru vowed with all of his being to never let him get hurt again. He would do everything in his power to keep the smile on his friend's face.

* * *

Naruto had never experienced so many 'ups' in his life. Usually, he had a lot of 'downs' that overwhelmed his 'ups,' but now it appeared that the opposite was in effect. Had the world suddenly gone backwards? Despite his sickness and then getting beaten up in front of Choji and Shikamaru, Naruto was beyond happy. He existed in a cloud of joy that hovered about him always, allowing him to ignore the glares sent at him, or the rude insults aimed with precision. Even though bad things had happened, good things seemed to have resulted. For one, Choji and Shikamaru were still his friends, and now even the Akimichi family was on his side when they traveled through town together. Naruto had never had so many allies before and it made him so happy just to think about it that he couldn't stop smiling.

Naruto couldn't believe how lucky he was. Not only were his precious people growing in number, but they were also utterly disregarding the fact that he was bad. Ever since the 'incident,' he had feared that people would abandon him. What clearer example was there that he was bad? His precious people might have ignored that fact before, but after getting beaten up in public right in front of their eyes, surely they would recognize their mistake at calling him their friend! How shocked he had been when their reactions completely contradicted his expectations. In fact, instead of admitting their error and leaving him behind, their support for him only became fiercer and more protective. It made a lump grow in his throat and tears form in his eyes. He didn't deserve this kind treatment.

Or did he? Suddenly, Naruto didn't know what to believe. Was he really _bad_? If so many people were willing to support him, then he _couldn't_ be bad, right? For surely his precious people were not so easily corrupted by evil! He could never believe that they were bad! Still, even though he was surrounded by joy, nagging doubts attacked him at his most vulnerable moments. Until the secret was revealed, he would never really know if he was bad or not.

A few weeks after befriending the Akimichis, Naruto and Iruka were invited to dinner by the Nara family. Naruto was a little annoyed that Iruka insisted on dressing up for the occasion, meaning that Naruto had to get scrubbed clean and wear nicer clothes that itched him.

"I've been there before just after me, Shikamaru and Choji rolled in the dirt, and it was fine!" Naruto complained, pouting as Iruka tried to comb his unruly blond hair.

"Well, this is a special occasion," Iruka tutted as Naruto tried to wriggle away. "Not so fast! We've got to straighten your robes!"

"But it's too tight!" Naruto whined.

Iruka fixed him a look and Naruto complacently stared at his feet while Iruka fixed his attire.

"There. Now don't we look like two, fine, presentable gentlemen?"

Naruto stared at his reflection in the mirror and grimaced.

"I don't even look like me anymore!" he said crossly before turning to Iruka. "And you look like a fish with all those colors!"

Iruka pretended to be offended and then ducked down to tousle Naruto's hair.

"Oh yeah?" he challenged. "Well you look like a little lion cub!"

"You dressed me up like this!" Naruto accused as his hair began to stick up again.

Iruka laughed. "Alright, we'd best leave before our outfits get any worse!"

When they arrived at the Nara household, Shikamaru greeted them at the door. Naruto had to stop himself from laughing out loud at the ridiculous mess that was Shikamaru's hair. Apparently, someone had decided that it wasn't tame enough and had tried in vain to flatten it. Unfortunately, the pineapple shape was resisting, creating an interesting look that matched Shikamaru's dark smirk.

"Go ahead and laugh, but it looks like you received the same treatment," he muttered grimly. Although his voice was critical, Naruto recognized the sympathy in Shikamaru's eyes, and the boys exchanged quick looks of understanding. Suddenly, a woman appeared behind him with her hands on her hips.

"Shikamaru! I told you to stop complaining! Now stop slouching and let our guests inside!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes as Iruka attempted to muffle a snort. Naruto and Iruka stepped inside and quickly removed their shoes. Naruto opened his mouth in awe as he stared around at the house, blindly stepping up onto the platform and following obediently as Shikamaru and his mother led them into another wing of the house. Inside their dining room, the walls were decorated with screens depicting images of deer grazing. In the soft light filtering in from the windows on the door, they almost seemed to be alive.

Naruto snapped out of his daze as Iruka gently nudged him. He gulped fearfully as he saw the dining table set up before him, preceded by the Nara family. He had never seen Shikamaru's father before, and couldn't help but feel frightened at first, but then it occurred to him that the man was like a combination of Iruka and Shikamaru. Thinking that calmed him, although his heart still raced when his eyes fell on Shikamaru's mother. Unbidden memories surfaced in his mind and Naruto forcefully swallowed his rising panic.

Why did Shikamaru's mother have to look so much like Mama-san?

"Iruka-san, Naruto, this is my mother, Nara Yoshino and my father, Nara Shikaku," Shikamaru introduced. "Mother, father, this is Naruto and Iruka-san."

"Welcome to our home," Yoshino spoke graciously.

"Oh, the pleasure is ours. We're sorry to intrude upon your hospitality," Iruka replied, reciting the customary greeting.

Yoshino waved her hands dismissively. "Not at all! It's wonderful to finally meet you. Shikamaru has spoken of you often. Please, make yourselves comfortable while I bring out the food. Shikamaru, will you help me?"

"Fine," he grumbled, earning a reproachful look from his mother. He shrugged nonchalantly and made a face that only Naruto could see, causing him to stifle a giggle. As they disappeared through the door to the kitchen, Iruka and Naruto knelt at the table.

"Sorry this is so formal," Shikaku spoke up gruffly, seeming somewhat out of sorts in his ceremonial attire. "Yoshino loves dinner parties much more than any normal, sensible woman should."

"I heard that! Now be polite!" came Yoshino's disembodied voice from around the corner.

Shikaku sighed heavily and leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially to Iruka.

"She's got us on a tight string around here. You're lucky to not be hitched yet."

Iruka smiled unsurely at this odd remark and decided not to comment.

Yoshino had a forced smile on her face as she reemerged with some plates of food. As she sat down, she glared pointedly at her husband before resuming pleasantries.

"So, Iruka-san, how is your job going? I hear you are working at the Academy?"

Iruka nodded. "Yes. I love it there. It's wonderful to be able to make a difference in a child's life."

"I'm sure it is," Yoshino smiled warmly, eyeing Naruto appreciatively as she began to serve them. With a chorus of "itadakimasu," they began to eat. Naruto, for one, was very careful to eat as politely as he could.

Iruka coughed uncomfortably. "Anyways, I like to think that I'm helping the future of Konoha by steering the bright young minds of today in a…positive direction."

"Well said," Shikaku agreed. "Perhaps you will get the chance to teach our Shikamaru here."

"Perhaps so. I look forward to the opportunity," Iruka answered politely.

"Really?" Yoshino interrupted. "Well be prepared. I'm afraid Shikamaru has picked up his father's bad habit of laziness."

"Mom!" Shikamaru groaned as Shikaku rolled his eyes.

"Really, I can't believe I married into this family. To think that Nara men have such attitudes!" She turned to regard Iruka with pursed lips. "Don't be afraid to push Shikamaru if he ends up in your class. He'll need the extra encouragement."

"Mom!" Shikamaru grumbled exasperatedly.

Yoshino didn't look the least bit ashamed. "I'm just saying that Iruka-san should not be afraid to use discipline if he must. A great teacher commands respect in even their most unmotivated students."

"Uh…yes, thank you for your wise words, Nara-san," Iruka stammered.

Yoshino's face grew sad suddenly. "I do hope you weren't so unfortunate to have taught that Uchiha boy. He surely could have used some more discipline."

A pall fell over the dinner, causing them all to stop eating for a moment. Even Naruto and Shikamaru had heard about what had happened to the Uchiha clan, and though they didn't fully understand the reasoning behind it, they recognized what a tragedy it was.

"What a terrible thing," Yoshino broke the silence in a small voice. "And that poor boy, Sasuke. To be left alone, so young! He's only a bit older than our boys."

Iruka smiled grimly as he squeezed Naruto's knee affectionately, knowing that the words 'our boys' were resonating in Naruto's mind.

Another silence followed before Yoshino abruptly shook her head and rather obviously changed the subject.

"Well, on a different matter, Shikamaru's birthday is coming up."

"Really?" Iruka spoke with interest.

"September 22," Yoshino clarified with a broad smile.

"Mom always makes a big deal out of it," Shikamaru groused.

Yoshino drew herself up. "Well it's not everyday that my only son turns seven years old!"

"But you're going to invite the whole town!" Shikamaru protested. "It makes the party so troublesome with so many people!"

"Hmm," Yoshino hummed thoughtfully, acknowledging his point. "Then maybe we'll just do a small party with family and close friends. You'd be invited of course, Naruto."

Naruto jumped a little when she said his name, and shyly smiled without meeting her eyes. Suddenly, his smile became a fierce scowl of contemplation.

Iruka noticed Naruto's mood change first and frowned worriedly.

"Naruto, what's the matter?"

Naruto didn't answer for a moment and then he glanced up anxiously.

"W-What's a party?" he asked in a thin, wavery voice. He shrunk into himself as the entire table turned to stare at him in varying levels of shock. Naruto rushed to explain this strangeness of his. "At the orphanage, Mama-san and the others always mentioned parties, but I was never allowed to go to them and I always wondered what they were so…" he trailed off and bit his lip, willing himself to remain strong in the onslaught of such looks. Shikamaru was the first to speak.

"You've never been to a party?" he breathed incredulously.

Naruto shook his head, internally berating himself for having done something wrong.

"But what about the holiday festivals?" Shikamaru persisted, morbidly curious.

Naruto shook his head slowly. "Mama-san always locked me up. S-she said I wasn't allowed to go…" His voice faded away altogether as the table slowly recovered.

"Oh, Naruto," Yoshino spoke gently. She reached out to comfort him, but he misinterpreted her gesture and violently flinched backward. Yoshino gasped as Naruto's eyes grew wide, horrified at his instinctive reaction.

"I-I-I'm so sorry!" he stammered as he leapt to his feet and ran from the room. He didn't really know where he was going, and the film of tears over his eyes didn't help matters. He ended up in the entrance hall, where he collapsed onto the edge of the platform and hugged himself desperately. He knew he couldn't stay, and yet he was obliged to wait for Iruka, although he wasn't even sure the man would still come to bring him home.

Why was he so stupid? Wasn't he weird enough without having to bring up stories of his past? To be honest, he hadn't really thought before the words burst from his mouth. He had just always been curious about what a party was, and now, thanks to his stupidity, he would never know. Shikamaru's parents would probably never want their son to see him again, and then the same would happen with Choji. All his precious people would leave him and—

"Hey! There you are."

Naruto sniffled as he glanced up quickly and saw Shikamaru standing in the doorway. Embarrassed, he turned his head away. He felt Shikamaru's presence settle beside him on the landing a moment later.

"It's okay, Naruto," Shikamaru began awkwardly. "I mean…my mother scares everyone. She's a scary person, really. I'm terrified of her."

Naruto choked a little as a chuckle escaped him.

Shikamaru took this to heart and plowed on, grinning. "My dad's especially afraid of her. I once told him that she was standing behind him when she actually wasn't and he began to shake!"

Naruto giggled a bit and sniffled again.

Shikamaru's smile dropped off his face. "But you know, my mom would never hurt you. We were all just…surprised, you know? We don't hate you and we don't want you to leave," he added, recalling Naruto's previous incident and working to intercept the younger boy's negative mindset before it got any worse.

"But…aren't I…weird?" Naruto ventured tentatively.

"Of course you are!" Shikamaru said brashly. "We're all weird! Seriously, you're talking to a guy that stares at clouds all day!"

This time Naruto couldn't suppress his chuckle and laughed out loud.

Shikamaru smiled, happy to help Naruto cheer up.

"Say, why don't we head back to dinner?" he suggested. "We'll miss dessert if we stay out here. And as terrifying as my mom is, she makes some good food, so you don't want to miss her desserts! Especially since she's been preparing for this dinner party for weeks now!"

Naruto managed a small smile and allowed Shikamaru to help him to his feet. As they approached the dining room, Naruto heard them quickly resume a conversation so as not to make his reappearance awkward.

"Welcome back," Yoshino greeted Naruto warmly, although she was careful to not make any sudden moves that would alarm him.

Iruka's face was the image of worry as Naruto knelt beside him.

"You alright?" he asked anxiously. Naruto peeked up at him before growing ashamed. He hated making Iruka worry.

"Mm!" he nodded vigorously, forcing a smile onto his face.

Iruka relaxed only slightly, aware of Naruto's mask. "Naruto…" he began in a concerned undertone.

"We have a surprise for you!" Yoshino broke in, causing Naruto to start. He glanced up shyly.

"While you were gone," she continued, undeterred, "Iruka-san, Shikaku and I were discussing Shikamaru's birthday party, and we were thinking that, since your birthday is also coming up, we should just combine efforts and have one big party!"

Naruto blinked in confusion. Shikamaru noticed and hurried to explain.

"She means that we'll celebrate our birthdays together."

Naruto stared at him, and then his face broke into an awed expression.

"You mean…I could go to a party?"

"You would be the star of the party," Yoshino corrected. She winked at Shikamaru, believing that her son would be a bit miffed at not being mentioned. To her surprise, Shikamaru was grinning encouragingly and offering some of his past birthday experiences to elicit Naruto's growing excitement.

"Presents?" Naruto breathed suddenly.

"Oh yeah! That's the best part about birthdays!" Shikamaru laughed. Yoshino felt her heart clench in pride, and exchanged proud looks with her husband. Shikaku nodded slowly and Yoshino had to hold back her sudden emotion at realizing that her son was truly growing up.

Iruka, on the other hand, exhaled in relief at seeing Naruto seem to forget his previous mindset as the prospect of having a birthday party dominated his thoughts. He found himself smiling as Naruto's face grew increasingly animated.

"Wow!" Naruto uttered at last, his eyes bright. "I can't wait for the party!"

The Nara family smiled at his exuberance as Yoshino brushed a tear out of her eye.

"I certainly can't either! We'll start planning immediately! Do keep in touch," she addressed Iruka, who nodded. During dessert, everyone talked about the upcoming party and what to add to it. Naruto hit his excitement peak and then began to get tired as the course ended. Iruka helped him stand up as the Nara family followed them to the door.

"Thank you for having us," Iruka said humbly. "Everything was delicious."

"You're very welcome. If there are any problems, please do not hesitate to contact us. You're welcome anytime," Yoshino replied. Then she turned to Naruto. "This party will be very special, I promise."

Naruto avoided her gaze and, before anyone could react, hugged her quickly. Yoshino felt a lump in her throat and found that she couldn't say anything else.

"Well, safe journey home," Shikaku filled in for her. Iruka smiled at them and gripped Naruto's hand as they exited the Nara's home and returned to their own. On the way, Naruto grew so sleepy that it was hard for him to walk, so Iruka picked him up and carried him. He was fast asleep before they even reached the door.

* * *

_A/N: Happy Holidays! _


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: This story is going better than I thought it would! Yay! I'm actually quite surprised that I was able to crank this chapter out so quickly. Enjoy!_

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Chapter 3

Naruto was brimming with barely-contained excitement. He fidgeted as Iruka vainly attempted to straighten his clothing before jumping to his feet and running to the front door of the Nara home. After he peeked out the window, he ran back to the dining room where the Nara family plus Iruka were watching him in amusement.

"D-do you think everyone will come?" he asked breathlessly, stuttering as the words tripped over his tongue in a hurried effort to escape his mouth.

"Of course they'll come, Naruto!" Yoshino smiled brightly. Naruto met her eyes and grinned in reply.

"Thank you, Yoshino-san," he said for the hundredth time. "I-I…" He glanced around and gestured wildly at the birthday decorations and food laid out for their soon-to-arrive guests.

"It's no problem, dear," Yoshino answered, her eyes twinkling.

Beside her with a grimace on his face sat Shikamaru. He rolled his eyes. "Stop thanking her already or she'll make an even bigger fuss next year!" he groused, earning a sharp look from his mother.

"Turning seven is very important, and this is Naruto's first party," she replied, adding emphasis to the latter part of her statement. "How can I not go all out?"

"Shikamaru, aren't you excited?" Naruto asked suddenly, confused. "It's a party!"

Shikamaru shrugged noncommittally. "Meh. It's too troublesome to get excited. Takes too much effort."

Suddenly, there came a knock at the door. Naruto's eyes widened and, with a nod from Yoshino, raced to the door.

Choruses of "Choji!" and "Naruto! Happy birthday!" floated around the corner.

"Oh boy. Here it begins," Shikamaru muttered darkly, exchanging looks with his father.

The party was truly underway. After greeting the Akimichis, they all gathered in the dining room and began to eat heartily, as was the custom of the Akimichi family. It wasn't long before the volume increased as the adults caught up with one another. Choza had some particularly hilarious stories to relate if his loud, boisterous tone was any comment.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru, Choji and Naruto ventured outside to avoid the noise.

"So, what do you think you're going to get?" Choji questioned Naruto as they dangled their legs over the side of the porch.

"I…I don't know. What do people usually get?"

"If you're unlucky enough to be a Nara, you get a quilt with pictures of deer on it. And then some clothes with deer on it. And if you're _really_ unlucky, my mom will even give you a hat with antlers."

Choji muffled laughter as even Naruto cracked a grin.

"You should wear it, Shikamaru!" Choji giggled.

Shikamaru made a face. "I would rather not. _You_ should wear it." He poked at Choji who jerked away from Shikamaru with a laugh.

"Don't poke me! I'll never wear a hat like that! Never in a million years! It would look too silly!"

"It would be a good thing to wear if you were robbing Yakiniku Q!" Shikamaru laughed.

Choji looked horrified. "I would never rob Yakiniku Q! Their meat is too yummy to go unpaid! Besides, they'd catch me. No one but you wears hats with antlers."

"I do _not_ wear hats like that! Hey, Naruto, maybe you should wear it! Naruto?"

Naruto jumped and glanced at his friends. He had been lost in thought, consumed with musings of what presents he would receive. He hoped ramen would be a part of them!

Naruto shook his head. "No, I'm not wearing that hat." Naruto's smile faded. "I stick out enough," he added quietly.

Choji and Shikamaru made no comment to this, and Choji decided to change the subject.

"So who else is coming, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru groaned. "Knowing my mother, she invited the Yamanakas."

"The who?" Naruto asked.

"Yamanakas," Choji repeated. "Yamanaka Inoichi-san was on our fathers' genin team when they were in the Ninja Academy."

"So what's the matter?" Naruto persisted, noting Shikamaru's sour expression.

"Ino," was all Shikamaru said.

"Ino? What's that?" Naruto questioned.

"A girl."

Naruto blinked. "A girl? But what's so bad about that?"

"She's annoying," Shikamaru said flatly. Even Choji nodded slightly in agreement. "My mother _always_ invites them," Shikamaru continued. "It's just because our fathers were friends! Why should _I_ have to go through the torment of _Ino_ just because of that?"

"Did someone say my name?" sang a high-pitched voice. Shikamaru cringed as the three simultaneously turned around to see a skinny blond girl in purple standing behind them. Next to her stood a girl with short pink hair and a red dress.

"I was just saying to your mother that it's very rude that you didn't meet us at the door," Ino continued, seemingly oblivious to Shikamaru's negative reaction to her presence. "But I guess that's just the way you are, Shikamaru." Her pupil-less eyes scanned the group and alighted upon Naruto, who was gaping openly at the pink-haired girl.

"Who are you?" Ino interrupted, and then added offhandedly, "Oh, by the way, this is my friend Haruno Sakura."

Sakura bowed clumsily and blushed at Naruto's wide stares.

"So who are you?" Ino repeated sternly. "I asked you a question." She put her hands on her hips.

Naruto suddenly regained awareness and closed his mouth with a pop.

"Um…I'm Uzumaki Naruto," he introduced himself shyly.

Ino gasped. "Uzumaki Naruto? I heard the adults talking. You're why my mom didn't want to come to the party."

At these words, Naruto seemed to shrivel inside himself.

Fiercely, Shikamaru stood up and faced Ino.

"Go away!" he shouted at her, his instincts to protect Naruto fully awakened.

Ino looked offended. "I didn't mean—"

"I said leave us alone!"

Ino pouted. "We came to wish you a happy birthday. We even brought you presents."

"I don't care. Your best present to me would've been to not show up!"

She gasped in outrage before scowling. "I'm telling your mother about this! And she won't be happy!" Ino stomped off, leaving Sakura awkwardly behind.

"Hey, Naruto, sorry about that," Shikamaru spoke in a quieter tone as he gently wrapped his arm around the smaller boy's frame.

"Yeah, it's just Ino. I wouldn't take anything she says seriously," Choji added.

Naruto remained hunched over until Sakura approached.

"Ino can be kind of mean sometimes. I don't think she realizes it. Sorry," Sakura said, truly apologetic. Naruto glanced up hesitantly and found that Sakura was smiling warmly at him. "It's nice to meet you," she added.

"Y-you too," Naruto answered, grinning slightly.

"So, I hear it's your birthday too."

Naruto nodded. "Well, not quite yet. In about two weeks. It's October 10."

Sakura gasped softly at the date and then grimaced ruefully. "That's rotten luck. But happy birthday anyways!"

"Thanks," Naruto breathed timidly.

"Shikamaru! Boys! Come inside! It's time to celebrate!" called Yoshino suddenly.

Shikamaru sighed heavily. "Time to get smothered," he muttered as the group rose and walked inside.

As they sat down in the dining room, Naruto got the first glimpse of Ino's imposing father, and felt a small chill race down his spine as those pupil-less eyes connected with his own. Quickly, he looked away and found himself gazing at Ino, who appeared to have overcome her anger since she was smiling exuberantly.

"It's cake time!" she declared.

"Cake?" Naruto repeated in confusion. He knew what cake was, and that it was usually associated with parties, but he never expected to have it at his own celebration!

"Indeed, indeed!" Chiharu sang as she shouldered through the group carrying a massive tray which she set in front of Naruto and Shikamaru. Before both boys sat one cake each, Naruto's respectively in the shape of a ramen bowl topped with a fish cake, and Shikamaru's in the shape of a wistful cloud set against a brilliant blue sky.

Naruto's eyes widened incredulously. "This is…for me?" he breathed.

Chiharu beamed brilliantly. "This is the Akimichi present to you both! Happy birthday boys!"

Even Shikamaru was impressed. "Thanks, Chiharu-san!"

"Ooh I want the first piece!" Ino chorused, but then grew quiet with a look from her father.

"Naruto, would you like a piece?" Iruka asked, holding out a knife.

"But it's so pretty! I can't eat it! Can't we save it?" he implored.

The adults laughed, the Akimichis most of all.

"We made it for you! Go ahead and enjoy it," Chiharu encouraged. "I don't mind!"

"We could start with mine if you want, and save yours for later," Shikamaru suggested. "Trust me, you'll want to eat it after the first bite! Nothing can top a cake from the Akimichi family!"

Shikamaru's words proved true as Naruto experienced the most wonderful sugary sensation he had ever had. So many flavors made his taste buds burst alive! He could feel the sugar coursing through him and immediately requested more.

"Your cake is truly delicious, Chiharu-san, but are you sure it was a good idea to give so much sugar to the kids?" Iruka asked laughingly as the children began to visibly burst with energy.

"Mmm this is almost as good as the cake you made for me, Chiharu-san!" Ino chattered, turning to Sakura and describing her own birthday cake in detail for her friend to imagine.

"Shall we do presents now?" Yoshino suggested over the din once everyone was finished.

"Yeah!" Shikamaru agreed, rowdier than usual due to an overwhelming amount of sugar. Since Shikamaru's birthday was first, he got to open his presents first. The first thing he picked up was Choji's present – a bag of Shikamaru's favorite sweets. Shikamaru thanked Choji profusely as he picked up another package. From the Yamanakas (plus Sakura), he received a handsome set of shuriken and a new, hand-made pack intended for future use at the Ninja Academy. In the same frame of mind, Iruka and Naruto gave Shikamaru a strategy game meant to hone skills that would later come in handy whilst training as a ninja. He opened his parent's gifts last and found a set of books on taijutsu, ninjutsu and other such skills that made Shikamaru's eyebrows rise.

"It's like you're all preparing me for something," he said sarcastically after thanking everyone.

"Well you're going to attend the Academy of course," Yoshino stated matter-of-factly.

Shikamaru didn't look too pleased with the idea. "But that means I'll have to study. How troublesome. Can't I just stay home?"

"Definitely not!" Yoshino interrupted, miffed.

"You've got to live up to the Nara name!" Choza added loudly, winking pointedly at Shikaku who rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," Shikamaru grumbled dismissively. He turned to Naruto. "Your turn for presents!"

Naruto beamed at him and began to carefully unwrap his gifts. The first one contained a set of storybooks that Naruto gaped at, utterly pleased. As he flipped through them, he began to recognize some words and his smile grew.

"Thank you so much, Shikaku-san, Yoshino-san and Shikamaru! I'll definitely read these!"

"We know you will," Yoshino murmured proudly.

Naruto picked up an envelope next, which he tore open and found a letter inside. Unable to read it, he ushered it to Iruka, whose eyes widened.

"Naruto, the Naras and Akimichis have created a bank account for you. And they've…" His voice trailed off as he shook his head in speechless wonder. "You shouldn't have done this. It's too much!"

"Nonsense!" Yoshino declared, waving her hand dismissively. "We understand how hard it may be, so we're just giving you some help."

"But this—!" Iruka sputtered. "We can't accept this!"

"Your humbleness is becoming, Iruka, but we insist," Shikaku spoke up for the first time.

"And if you need any more help along the way, you let us know!" Chiharu added, clenching hands with her equally grinning husband.

"You're much too kind. We don't deserve this kind of generosity," Iruka persisted in vain.

"Bah, of course you do! We all want to see Naruto get big and strong!" Choza boomed.

"So how much is it?" Ino interjected abruptly, but then changed tactics. "Aw, Naruto's blushing!"

Indeed, Naruto's face was flushed bright red with a mixture of pleasure and embarrassment. While it was strange to be cared about by so many people, it was also wonderful and it made Naruto conflicted as to how he should feel. Iruka covered Naruto's embarrassment by bowing his head and thanking the families profusely. He also draped an arm around Naruto and tugged the boy closer to him, squeezing him in mutual understanding.

Once that episode was over, Naruto finished opening his gifts. From Choji, he received a huge pack of potato chips, and from the Yamanakas a complimentary box of assorted candies.

"I hope you like them," Ino said after Naruto had finished thanking them. "Strawberry's my favorite."

"I'll definitely try it and see," he spoke meekly, recalling his friends' advice.

At this, Ino cocked her head and frowned at him. "You know, you're not as weird as I thought."

"Thanks?" Naruto replied before getting tapped on the shoulder by Iruka. The older man nodded toward the door and Naruto obediently stood and followed him outside as the noise level swelled behind them.

On the porch, Iruka revealed one last gift that Naruto hadn't been aware he was concealing.

"This last one is from me," Iruka clarified. "It's a bit special."

Naruto took his words to heart and gingerly unwrapped this precious gift. In awe, he removed a pair of strange knife-like weapons.

"They're called kunai," Iruka explained. "They're one of the most basic weapons used by ninja. They're important for two reasons. The first is that, with these, you could train to become a ninja and join the Ninja Academy. And Naruto, if you're up for it, we can start training as soon as possible. You can learn to defend yourself and protect others."

Naruto's eyes glistened as he nodded mutely, too choked up to respond.

Iruka smiled happily. "And the second reason they're important is that these were my very first kunai."

Naruto glanced up at Iruka sharply, who merely nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, indeed. These very kunai saved my life on a number of occasions. I figured it was about time to pass them on to the next generation."

Naruto sniffled and before Iruka could react, threw himself into Iruka's arms, hugging the older man fiercely.

"Thank you," Naruto strained, his face buried in Iruka's chest. Iruka pulled Naruto closer and embraced him in return.

"You're welcome, Naruto," he breathed softly. "I hope you've enjoyed your birthday party."

"Of course!" Naruto sniffed. "This is the best birthday I've ever had!"

* * *

In the weeks following the party, the adults seemed to have formed a tacit, mutual agreement. Upon Iruka's declaration to start training Naruto, Shikaku and Choza took it upon themselves to begin their sons' formal preparation for entry to the Ninja Academy. The boys were, after all, seven years old and the normal admittance age was eight. With a year's worth of training, the boys could truly be ready for the challenges they would face, giving them a huge advantage over the others.

Of course, Naruto was a special case. Considering how far behind he was, what with having received little to no education at the hands of Mama-san, his progress was remarkable. Iruka loved to teach, and Naruto was a willing recipient of his practice. Iruka couldn't help but grow proud at his adopted son's determination, for, even though Naruto was still very behind, he put in the most effort Iruka had ever seen in a student and he knew that in no time Naruto would join his friends.

The only problem was that Iruka had to work constantly. While Shikaku and Choza could devote entire days to their sons when they weren't on missions, Iruka had to be at the Academy. As such, he always felt that he was depriving Naruto of his true education. Iruka wished he could give Naruto all the time in the world, but he was struggling to stay afloat as it was, and simply couldn't spare another moment. He tried his best, however, and whenever he had a chance, he would teach Naruto something basic that he could practice on his own. Even though Iruka was oftentimes drained from a full day of work, he could not in good conscience go to bed without having Naruto read to him, or write a letter, or assume a basic taijutsu stance, or demonstrate the hand signs. Oftentimes he found himself explaining Konoha history whilst simultaneously making dinner, providing both a fun and educational environment in which Naruto thrived.

Naruto was especially perceptive to Iruka's increased efforts to teach him. At first, he felt bad that the man should go to such lengths for him, but then he accepted the routine with ardor, knowing that Iruka wouldn't back down. So, he set his jaw determinedly and soaked in Iruka's words with rapt attention, constantly rehashing the information in his head so he wouldn't forget anything. He was so appreciative of Iruka that he couldn't possible let anything go to waste.

Unfortunately, as much as Naruto loved learning, the fact that Shikamaru and Choji were also training meant that he had less time to spend with them. It seemed that both Choza and Shikaku had much to impart to their sons, so Naruto wasn't necessarily allowed to intrude upon them. While Naruto had the feeling that they would let him join, he found that he couldn't take away from their family time. Besides, he figured that, being part of big clans, they had family secrets that he simply couldn't learn about.

Shikamaru confirmed this when they discussed their respective training sessions. It appeared that, while Choji's were physical in nature, Shikamaru was getting a run-down of his clan's history and medicinal practices. While Shikamaru didn't appear too enthused about this new schedule, Naruto knew he was far more interested in this aspect than taijutsu, figuring that the lazy boy preferred mental exercises over physical labor any day. On the other hand, Choji was very excited about his training, commenting enthusiastically about witnessing his father perform and then instruct him how to complete several of their clan's signature techniques. Naruto also noticed that, even though Choji wasn't slimming down or eating any less, his excess weight was turning into hard muscle that would certainly aid him in the future. When he spoke his thoughts aloud, Shikamaru readily agreed with his assessment, making Choji blush happily.

Naruto's time with Choji and Shikamaru was drastically reduced, so he cherished the moments he had with them. Initially, it was a hard adjustment to this new way of life. Naruto found himself with copious amounts of time which, at first, he used to clean the apartment and make sure everything was spick and span. It made Iruka have less things to do, and it made him feel better that he was at least contributing. He wished there was more he could do for Iruka, but the older man continually assured him that as long as Naruto was happy, that was enough.

One day while Naruto was in the middle of dusting, there came a knock at the door. Cautiously, Naruto went and opened it, smiling when he saw that it was Inu-san.

"Inu-san!" he greeted warmly.

"Hello, Naruto. How are you doing?"

"Great!" Naruto exclaimed. "Are you here to help me dust?"

"N-no," came the bemused reply. "I have a request from the Hokage. He would like to see you. Would you mind coming now?"

Naruto blinked at him and then nodded eagerly, attempting to summon an image of the Hokage in his mind. It had been awhile since he had last seen the man. In fact, it had been months!

"Follow me."

Locking the door behind him, Naruto followed Inu-san through Konoha, dodging the most crowded areas (for which Naruto was grateful). When they stopped, Naruto stared up at the Hokage Tower in wonder. He had seen the impressive building from a distance, but now, standing right next to it, it was truly a sight to behold.

"How do you get all the way to the top?" he asked aloud, looking up and up and up with his mouth open.

"Stairs. Unless you're a ninja. Want me to give you a lift?"

Before Naruto could say anything, Inu-san had grabbed him and they were flying through the air. Wind rushed by him, causing Naruto's vision to blur. It seemed that it took only a heartbeat for them to reach the level where the Hokage was sitting at his desk, at which point they entered through the window.

"Ah! You startled me!" the Hokage admonished Inu-san as they landed. Naruto swayed a little but was grinning broadly. Would he get to do something as amazing as that when _he_ was a ninja? The thought was too enticing to ignore.

"My apologies, Hokage-sama."

"Of course," the Hokage answered sternly, though his lips threatened to twitch into a smile as he eyed Naruto. "So, Naruto, it's been a while," he continued. As Inu-san backed away to give them privacy, Naruto stepped forward and shyly glanced at his feet.

"Yeah."

"I wanted to check up on you, to see how you are doing with Iruka. I must admit that I was a little concerned at first—"

"No!" Naruto interrupted and then quieted. "I mean," he said more softly, "I…I love being with Iruka. He's…" He found that he couldn't quite put his feelings into words, but when he lifted his gaze, he found that the Hokage's eyes were reflecting understanding.

"You don't know how happy that makes me. I am so glad you've found a good home, Naruto," the old man said sincerely. Indeed, the skin around his eyes seemed to loosen a little as he spoke those words.

"It's great!" Naruto burst out suddenly. "I made friends and then I met their families and they're really nice! We had a birthday party and I got lots of presents and I was so happy! It was the best party I've ever had! And then Iruka gave me some kunai and now he's training me and I've decided that I want to be a ninja!"

The Hokage blinked serenely as Naruto's words rushed out of his mouth in one long stream of air. Only the last bit was distinguishable.

"A ninja?"

Naruto nodded vigorously. "Especially if I can fly like Inu-san!"

"Fly?" the Hokage repeated dubiously before chuckling. "Ah yes. That's a good aspiration to have. You've got to train and study hard then."

"Yeah!" Naruto agreed enthusiastically.

The Hokage's smile faded slightly. "But Naruto, be prepared. Not everyone at the Academy is…going to be nice to you," he added delicately.

Naruto's bright face extinguished immediately as he swallowed hard.

"I know," he murmured. His face slowly transformed into a frown of contemplation. "H-Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage braced himself.

"I…I used to think I was a bad person," tremored Naruto's small voice. "But now I don't know anymore. Do…do you know?" he finished timidly, abruptly trembling at the anticipated response.

The Hokage inwardly sighed in relief. "Naruto, I know for sure that you are _not_ a bad person. You are far from it, in fact."

"Really?" Naruto breathed, daring to hope.

"Absolutely," the Hokage emphasized.

Naruto grew thoughtful once more, causing the Hokage to inhale a sharp breath. "But…if I'm _not_ a bad person, then why—?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto," the Hokage cut in, fearing it would come to this. "But I am unable to answer that question at this time. I promise that when you're old enough, I will explain everything. For now, I'm afraid you'll just have to endure for a little longer."

Naruto hung his head.

"On the bright side, you should focus on your ninja training," the Hokage tried to cheer him up. "Who knows? Maybe someday you'll get your head carved into the mountain as Hokage!"

"Really?" Naruto asked with wide eyes.

"Oh yes. And Hokage's can do more than just fly," he hinted, winking as Naruto gasped.

"Wow! I should become Hokage!"

The Hokage laughed. "That's right! Good luck with your training, and please give this to Iruka for me." He handed Naruto an envelope and dismissed him. Just as Inu-san was about to give Naruto a ride down, the Hokage stopped them. They both paused at the window, to which the Hokage smirked.

"Before you leave, I just wanted to say one more thing."

Naruto held his breath.

"Happy birthday, Naruto."

Naruto grinned and then let out a scream as Inu-san dropped out of the window. The Hokage leaned back in his chair.

"I'll have to look out for that one. Another worthy contender of my job," the old man laughed dryly. He turned to wistfully stare out at the sky. "Someday."

* * *

Iruka was surprised when Naruto related this adventure to him later that night, and decided it was best to wait to open the Hokage's envelope. When he was sure Naruto was fast asleep, he crept into the kitchen and gently tore open the wrapping. Inside was a heartfelt thank you note accompanied with a check and a notice that Iruka was about to receive a significant raise. Iruka stared at the contents of the envelope for a good ten minutes, trying to process them, before he finally decided to go to sleep. After putting the envelope away, he crawled into bed with his mind still reeling.

* * *

A few days later, Naruto found himself alone and rather bored. He had cleaned every possible surface of his home, finished all the laundry, dusted all the shelves and even vacuumed all the floors. To his knowledge, everything was in its place; books were stacked neatly, the bed was made. Naruto had nothing else to do, and Shikamaru and Choji were both busy. He decided to practice stances and hand signs, which took about an hour. Then he sat down to do some reading and writing, but whenever he got stuck, there was no one to correct him. It got so frustrating that he had to put it away.

At last, Naruto couldn't help it. He put on a light coat and headed outside, locking the door behind him. He had two plans in mind: 1) Search for Inu-san and beg him to teach him some cool techniques and 2) Stop by Ichiraku's for a meal, since it had been a while since he had last seen them. Considering that Naruto knew Inu-san was sneaky, he decided to go on some roundabout routes through Konoha in hopes of catching him. He knew the Anbu was pretty stealthy, but he wanted to challenge himself and see if he had developed the ninja senses Iruka had told him about.

While he was snooping for Inu-san on the outskirts of Konoha, Naruto came across a road he had never seen before. In the distance, he could see the sparkles of the sunlight on water, and he was intrigued. Following the road, he came to a connecting path that led down to a dock on which someone was sitting. Squinting, Naruto thought he could make out a picture on the back of a black-haired boy's shirt. He gasped when he realized who it was. The red and white fan was unmistakable. Naruto was staring at the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan.

Uchiha Sasuke.

From where Naruto was standing the boy didn't look out of place, and yet so much had happened to him that it seemed odd that he was so normal-looking. Naruto wondered what he was doing all by himself, staring at his reflection in the water. Was he practicing a technique? Naruto had heard that he was already the top of his class at the Ninja Academy, and he was only seven years old.

As Naruto stared at him further, he realized that Sasuke wasn't practicing a technique. He was just sitting, deadly still, staring at his reflection as his fists clenched and unclenched. The boy seemed to be experiencing some rather harsh emotions, and Naruto felt a stab of empathy. He knew what it was like to be lonely. He couldn't imagine what Sasuke must be going through, having had someone and then getting them ripped away. Naruto shuddered to think of losing Iruka, or Choji or Shikamaru, and his insides clenched painfully.

Thinking of Choji and Shikamaru reminded Naruto of the beginning of their friendship. He had been alone before he met them, and they had really changed his life. Maybe Sasuke needed a friend, too. Maybe Naruto could be the one to help him overcome his sadness and anger. It was worth a try, wasn't it?

Naruto slowly approached Sasuke, not wanting to scare him. As he got closer, he saw Sasuke's eyes flicker back to him, so he knew Sasuke was aware of his presence.

"H-Hi," he said shyly. "I'm—"

"Go away," Sasuke interrupted coldly. "I don't care who you are. Just leave me alone."

"But…" Naruto tried feebly, suddenly at a loss for what to say. He hadn't expected Sasuke to be so blunt. "I wanted to invite you to a great restaurant I know—"

"Why would I go somewhere with you? I don't even know who you are."

Naruto bristled. "I tried to introduce myself but you wouldn't let me!"

Sasuke shrugged indifferently and ignored him.

Naruto contained his anger, trying to remember the tragedy Sasuke had undergone.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

At this pronouncement, Sasuke abruptly shifted to stare at Naruto with wide eyes.

"_You're_ Naruto?" he repeated incredulously.

Naruto wasn't sure he liked Sasuke's tone of voice, but nodded anyways.

"_You're_ the one everyone calls a monster?"

Naruto swallowed. "Yes," he uttered quietly, willing himself to not look down at his feet in shame.

Suddenly Sasuke burst out laughing. It was cruel and deriding, and when it finally stopped, his lips curled into a sneer.

"You _do_ realize who I am, right?" he demanded.

Naruto clenched his fists. "Of course I do."

"Then you realize that _I _can't possibly be seen with a freak like you! Why would you invite me anywhere with you?"

Naruto bit back his tears. "Because I was trying to be nice!" he shouted.

"Yeah well I don't need your pity, freak!" Sasuke yelled back. "I don't need anyone's pity! I wish everyone would just leave me alone!"

"Fine! I will!" Naruto screamed as he turned on his heel and stomped away. When he finally returned to Konoha, a thin film of tears had obscured his vision so he paused to wipe them away. How could Sasuke be so cruel? He was only trying to help him! Maybe he was just too far gone, Naruto surmised. Maybe Sasuke didn't deserve anyone's help. Even though his mind accepted these conclusions, Naruto couldn't help but feel his heart tighten.

He understood Sasuke just a little too much.

After composing himself, he reentered Konoha with the purpose of dining at Ichiraku's, foregoing his impossible search for Inu-san. As he rounded a particular corner, he thought he heard someone calling his name. He spun around and came face-to-face with a breathless Sakura.

"Naruto, hey!" she greeted him. "Remember me?"

Naruto felt his mouth open and quickly shut it before she noticed. How could he have possibly forgotten someone as pretty as her?

"Of course I remember you!" he stammered quickly.

Sakura giggled at his discomfiture and then changed the subject. "So, what're you up to?"

Naruto bit his lip. "Nothing much. I was…um…heading to lunch at Ichiraku's."

"Mmm really? Lunch sounds good right now. Can I come with you? My mom gave me some money to spend where I want."

Naruto felt a blush creep onto his face. Was Sakura asking to go on a date with him?

"S-sure," Naruto strained through a mouth that had suddenly gone bone-dry.

"Great!" Sakura chirped. "Lead the way!"

Naruto almost fainted when she grabbed his hand, and was surprised when, despite himself, he found himself involuntarily steering her toward Ichiraku's. When they got inside and settled onto two barstools, Teuchi turned around and displayed a brilliant smile.

"My favorite customer! It's been a while, Naruto!"

"Yeah, it has!" Naruto agreed.

"Oh, Naruto!" Ayame greeted as she appeared behind the counter. Suddenly, she noticed Sakura and winked pointedly at him. "Who's this? Your girlfriend?"

"No!" Naruto said more forcefully than he intended. Sakura seemed oblivious to this conversation as she exchanged pleasantries with Teuchi.

"Really?" Ayame teased slyly, her mouth setting into a smirk.

Naruto nodded vigorously as he shrank down into his seat, mortified. Ayame laughed and turned to her father.

"What do you say we give Naruto and his friend here a discount?"

Teuchi pondered this for a moment before his face lit up. "Why, of course! That's a wonderful idea. Now, Naruto, are you going to introduce us to your friend or what here?"

"Oh, I'm Haruno Sakura," Sakura introduced herself. "It's nice to meet you!" She glanced at Naruto. "I didn't know you were a regular customer here."

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah. I started coming here a few months ago."

"Then you must have tried everything on the menu! What's good?"

"Well…I've actually only had the ramen. It's my favorite!"

"Ramen?" Sakura repeated dubiously, scrunching up her face in thought. "Hmm. I guess I'll try it. I'll have whatever Naruto's having," she declared to Teuchi and Ayame, whose smiles broadened at Naruto's further embarrassment.

Luckily, as they waited for their meals to arrive, Sakura asked Naruto about what was going on and he easily slipped into the description of his daily routine. Sakura seemed interested in his ninja training, although she was more surprised at his inability to read and write. Naruto grew very shame-faced and discouraged at this, but was fortunately brought out of this mood when their orders arrived. Although Sakura didn't enjoy her ramen nearly as much as Naruto did, she still thought it was tasty and finished it to the last drop.

At the end of their meal, they paid their bill and bade farewell to Ayame and Teuchi, who, on their way out, wished Naruto a happy birthday.

Out on the street, Sakura asked if Naruto had anything he had to do.

"Not really," he answered uncertainly, not knowing where she was going with this.

"I just promised Ino I'd come stop by her house today. Want to come?"

"Umm—" Naruto tried but didn't have time to decide as Sakura grabbed his arm and dragged him along. They ended up at a lovely flower shop that Naruto hesitated to enter.

"What's the matter, Naruto?"

"I don't think…" he trailed off, Ino's blunt words coming back to him.

_Uzumaki Naruto? I heard the adults talking. You're why my mom didn't want to come to the party._

"Naruto?" Sakura repeated, frowning in concern.

"Oi, Sakura! You came!" cried a voice as Ino bounded out of the shop wearing her typical outfit but this time with a blue apron over it.

"Ino-chan!" Sakura greeted, smiling at her friend.

"Ah, you brought Naruto," Ino said in surprise, noticing the blond and giving him a measuring glance. "That's good I guess. More hands to help me! My mom said that we need to re-pot the roses and petunias, and there are tons of them, so there's no way I can get them done by myself! Come inside and help!" She gestured wildly.

As she and Sakura walked forward they abruptly stopped, seeing as Naruto wasn't following them.

Ino's face grew apologetic. "Oh, my mom's not here at the moment. I'm really sorry for what I said before. I wasn't really thinking. I mean, it's weird that my mom doesn't like you even though she hasn't met you. I asked my dad about it and he said that there's nothing wrong with you, so I guess you're okay. As long as mom isn't here, that is."

"Oh," Naruto replied after a short silence. "Is it still…okay for me to come in then?"

"Definitely," Ino answered, flipping her hair. "My dad's fine with you, remember? As long as my mom doesn't find out. It's so weird that she has such a grudge against—hey, what're you looking at?" she demanded forcefully, scowling.

Startled, Sakura and Naruto followed Ino's gaze as she glared at a man across the street.

"He's looking at us weirdly," Ino explained before sticking out her tongue. "Leave us alone, creep!" she called as the man turned away.

Naruto tried to contain his rising panic. The man wasn't glaring at _them_, he was glaring at _him_. It seemed that Sakura and Ino were still oblivious to his usual treatment. He had actually been lucky that morning with Sakura, since no one had gone out of their way to be cruel to him. He figured that those who hated him were either used to his presence in the village, or didn't want to get involved with Sakura as well. For her part, Sakura had been pretty focused on her goal and wasn't really paying attention to her surroundings and those shooting Naruto some less-than-friendly looks. Thanks to that, Naruto had escaped unscathed, though now fear bubbled so intensely in his stomach that he felt nauseous.

The moment passed, however, as Ino rolled her eyes and ushered them inside without another word on the matter. As they walked through the door, Naruto felt like he had physically walked into a wall of smells. It was so sweet that it was almost disgusting, and Naruto had to stop and take some deep breaths to become accustomed to it. He glanced up when he heard giggling.

"I forgot how some people react when they first enter our shop," Ino commented, hiding her grin behind her hand. "I guess I'm just used to it by now. Alright!" she clapped her hands together. "Let's get working! Oh, and be careful of the thorns; they're sharp. I would give you gloves, but there's only one pair small enough, so I'll let Sakura use them. Okay, Naruto?"

With a nod, Naruto quickly found himself drafted into re-potting plants, and not long after he decided that it wasn't a very fun task. Even though Ino gave him an apron, he still felt like he was getting dirt all over the clothes Iruka had worked so hard to buy him. It was also tricky to be gentle with the flowers, as Ino continually yelled at him to not pull so hard, or to be careful to not crinkle the leaves and to not touch the petals.

As the three performed this menial labor, Naruto was also struck with an interesting observation. It seemed that the girls weren't working as hard as he was because they insisted on talking. And talking. And talking some more. Reflecting on his time with Shikamaru and Choji, he couldn't help but notice a key difference. When he was with them, they often lapsed into comfortable silences, having exhausted all possible topics of conversation. But these girls had _endless_ things to talk about! One second they could be discussing clothes, and then the next their favorite ice cream toppings. Was there anything they didn't discuss? What was the point of talking about _everything_?

Naruto was so wrapped up his thoughts that he wasn't watching what he was doing. Suddenly, he hissed in pain as a thorn sliced open a tiny cut on his finger.

"Oh no! Are you okay?" Ino asked. Sakura just looked faint as beads of blood appeared.

"I-I'm fine," Naruto stammered.

"I hate when that happens," Ino continued. "Let me get you a bandage—"

"N-no, it's okay. I don't need one."

Ino stopped short. "Huh?" She and Sakura's eyes grew huge as Naruto held up his finger and showed them that the cut and blood had miraculously disappeared.

"How did you do that?" Ino demanded, recovering first as Sakura simply blinked in amazement.

"I've…always been able to do it," Naruto murmured in a small voice. Iruka had told him that his ability to heal quickly was unusual, and that he should try not to broadcast it. Unfortunately, by this point it was too late, and Naruto was starting to feel that fear well up within him again. For some reason, the fear was tinged with annoyance. He was angry at himself for fearing that they wouldn't accept him for being different. He had never experienced such frustration at his instinctive reaction before, although he knew where it came from. Since nearly everyone had been open to his strangeness lately, it seemed that fear was pointless. All his friends stood testament to that. Why should he constantly be afraid?

Despite this new feeling, he couldn't deny his anxiety as doubt laced his frustration. Sakura and Ino had been silent for a few moments now after their continuous chattering from before, and that was worrisome. It wasn't like them to be quiet. He braced himself for their rejection, and began to fumble with the ties on the apron.

"I wish I could have that ability," Ino spoke up suddenly with a wistful tone. "I mean, that's amazing!" She gasped in realization. "Is that why my mom doesn't like you? When I was younger, I got really sick and she wanted me to get better really fast, but I didn't. Is she jealous of you? Cause you're kinda different. You have…_lines_...on your face and you can heal really fast! Is that the reason?"

Naruto found he couldn't process what she was saying, so he gave an ambiguous, meek response.

"Wow, have you ever tested it?" Ino continued. As Naruto stared at his feet, mumbling that he hadn't, Sakura couldn't help but notice an odd glint in her friend's eyes.

"Ino?" she whispered, somehow frightened.

Ino didn't hear her and plowed on. "My family has always researched flowers and their medicinal properties, but we've never found one that can heal people so quickly and cleanly! I mean, it's like your cut never existed! Wow!" she blew out a breath, her energy evaporating as she collapsed against the countertop. She laughed thinly. "Guess I got a little carried away there. Sorry, Naruto," she apologized, grimacing. "I always say too much."

Naruto attempted a weak smile, rather relieved that her tirade had ended.

"So, Sakura, what were talking about? I'm not kidding when I say we need to get back to work. They need to be done before my mom gets back."

Sakura found that she didn't have quite the same passion for talking that she did before. Something about the frenzy in Ino's eyes unnerved her deeply. Perhaps she was just being too sensitive, as usual.

When they heard the sound of a door opening, Naruto was quick to depart, not wanting to get caught. Before Ino's mother, Hanako, appeared, Sakura hurriedly leaned over to Ino.

"I wouldn't mention it to your mom," she advised.

"Mention what?" Ino wondered.

"You know…" Sakura hedged.

"Oh! Yeah. Of course."

Something about Ino's tone made Sakura narrow her eyes suspiciously, although she wiped that expression off her face as Hanako came to investigate their progress. Even though a smile graced her features, Sakura, for one, was not so easily fooled by the Yamanaka woman's calculating gaze as she noted three work areas and only two workers. Still, she continued to smile as if nothing was amiss. Finally, Hanako suppressed her emotions and relaxed, easing into a light conversation. Even though Ino said nothing about Naruto's presence, Sakura couldn't help but feel that the woman knew. She was also aware that Ino had some flaws, and gossiping was sadly one of them, especially if her mother was involved. Secrets did not remain secrets for long when Ino was around.

When Sakura finally left, she pleasantly waved goodbye and silently headed back to her home. For some reason, she felt uneasy, though she couldn't explain why.

* * *

_A/N: Although this will quickly be outdated, I can't help but say "Wow, we're entering a new decade!" 2010. Wow. And in only two years the world will end! Yippee! Haha, I really hope that won't happen… I would really love to live my life, thanks. _


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Hello all! Here's a lovely update for my wonderful readers! Before you read though, I need to dispense one quick fact: According to all guidebooks and Naruto encyclopedias, one of Sasuke's favorite foods is tomatoes. This will make sense as you read, so go and enjoy!_

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* * *

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Chapter 4

Despite Ino's and Sakura's weirdness in comparison to Shikamaru and Choji, Naruto found himself immensely enjoying the time he spent with them. When he wasn't playing with Shikamaru and Choji, he was with Sakura and Ino, and vice-versa. He couldn't believe that he was able to make even _more_ friends, for even Ino was growing on him. Although she often 'stuck her foot in her mouth' as Shikamaru would say, Naruto couldn't help but grow warm at her sincere smiles and kind words. She usually apologized for saying something wrong, which really dashed any pretense of cruelty Naruto might have sensed in her. She wasn't intentionally mean; she just did not think before she spoke. Despite this, Naruto grew to care for her, especially since he really liked Sakura and Ino was Sakura's oldest friend. Though, he did cherish the moments he had alone with Sakura, for she was more sensitive and gentle than the Yamanaka, which Naruto was far better equipped to handle.

As their friendship grew and he had more time to spend with them, they began to branch out and wander Konoha, creating some problems for Naruto. One thing that still made him anxious was their increasing awareness of his treatment by the villagers. From what he could tell, it made Sakura embarrassed and confused, while Ino just seemed to assume a mixture of intrigue and animosity. Oftentimes, she told off some of Naruto's worst perpetrators, though she would occasionally mumble something to herself afterwards that related to her mother's perceptions.

Out of all of his friends, Ino seemed the most curious as to why Naruto was treated the way he was. While she did straightforwardly ask him about it, Naruto could only meekly explain he didn't know the reason himself, which strangely incited Ino even more. After some time, she became convinced that it was Naruto's healing ability that made him different and 'freakish' in the minds of the villagers, whom she proclaimed were just jealous. It made Naruto uncomfortable whenever she brought it up, since it was not a secret he wanted divulged to everyone. He didn't know what would happen if some particularly cruel attacker wanted revenge on him and knew that he could heal. How far would the man go? How much could Naruto take? These thoughts always made him shudder, and luckily Sakura was sensitive to this, so she constantly diverted their conversations away from such a touchy subject. Naruto couldn't help but be very grateful for this and made sure to give Sakura an extra special smile when he could to show her his appreciation. Lately, for some odd reason, his smiles to her made her turn her face away from him, and he wasn't sure why. All he did know was that it made his insides flutter peculiarly.

It seemed that Naruto should have no time left for anything but training and spending time with his friends. But there was one more thought that dominated his mind at odd moments. It always started with an unpleasant memory and then a quick reminder of a tragedy.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke was never far from his mind, no matter how hard Naruto tried to bury thoughts of him. The boy had wounded him deeply, and yet there was still a connection between them despite his outright rejection. Naruto couldn't explain it, but he felt such empathy for Sasuke that sometimes it made his chest hurt. Thinking of Sasuke always brought back memories of his own life, and he couldn't help but reflect on where he might be without his precious people. And as far as he knew, Sasuke was still alone. He had witnessed it, in fact, when he traveled with Iruka to the market to buy groceries a little over a week after their first encounter.

It was on this very day that Naruto decided once and for all to initiate his plan.

Bring on the tomatoes.

Naruto and Iruka were wandering through the open-air market, eyeing potential produce. Not wanting to be a bother, Naruto clung closely to Iruka, though he knew that that only caused nastier looks in their direction. Fortunately, Iruka was above their scorn and carried on normally, showing Naruto which vegetables to pick, and explaining what some of them were ("What's that weird purple one? Is it a giant, mutated bean?" "No, that's an eggplant, Naruto,"). The couple was having a marvelous time, though some of the vendors hawked outrageous prices seeing that Naruto was there. Instead of getting angry at them though, Iruka always smiled pleasantly and pointedly walked to another merchant selling the same thing. Apparently, vendors didn't take too kindly to losing business to a rival, so the stigma attached to Naruto quickly vanished in the exchange of money from one hand to another. It was essentially a game that Naruto and Iruka played as they laughed together over the pettiness of a few disgruntled salesmen. During those treasured moments, Naruto always forgot that he was the village pariah, the one supposed to be hated and abused. Instead, he felt like he and his father were playing some good-natured pranks and getting away with them. It was thrilling and wonderful, and it warmed Naruto to the heart every time Iruka winked at him, knowing the sale was in the bag.

Things changed when they arrived at a booth selling cabbages. While Iruka skillfully haggled with the vendor, Naruto idly gazed around, careful not to touch anything in the process. It was then that he noticed a newcomer to the market, and he was not the only one. All eyes seemingly turned toward the conspicuously alone raven-haired boy who simply pretended to be unaware of the attention focused on him and the picture of a fan on his back. Then it began: the whispering. Naruto watched as the boy shrank slightly, almost imperceptible except to those who understood. And Naruto intimately understood. No matter how quiet the whispers were, you could never be oblivious to them, never oblivious to the shooting glances that sliced through the air.

Sasuke knew it, too.

Naruto watched as Sasuke steadfastly assumed a blank, nearly indifferent expression. Ah, so he had a mask as well. This one was stronger than Naruto's, since the emotions behind it were so well-honed. It remained stony as each hushed word assaulted him, as each person drew up in shock at witnessing the Last Survivor of the Uchiha Clan. No cracks appeared even when an old grandmother blurted aloud how sad it was that this boy was all alone.

Naruto was impressed with Sasuke's performance, but it wasn't flawless. He saw Sasuke's knees tremble slightly, and his shoulders slump further as time progressed. Was he the only one who truly saw? Even Iruka was looking at Sasuke now, distracted from his purchase when the whole area quieted at the boy's arrival. As Naruto gazed up at Iruka's face, he realized that the man did not quite see all that was happening, all that Sasuke was hiding. Only Naruto could read the underlying sadness, rage and fear pent up inside of him. And suddenly, Naruto realized why.

He was staring at himself. For the first time since he could remember, no one was looking at him, deriding him, belittling him with their vicious words. All attention was devoted to a new outsider. This one may not have been hated, but instead he would endure perhaps a worse fate: he would be pitied. He would be seen as different because of the tragedy he had undergone. He would be discussed in quiet undertones in voices of haughtiness, voices who thought they understood and knew what was best for him. But they were pompous and, most importantly, they were wrong. They knew nothing. They were ignorant of everything but their own comfortable lives. They had never experienced suffering, were never the center of attention when they wanted only to crawl into a ball and hide from everything; they had never felt pain, been hurt so badly that it seemed like the world would stop functioning if they closed their eyes and wished for death; they had never been so completely and utterly alone that even shadows were comforting.

They didn't _know_. They couldn't possibly _know_.

But Naruto did. He knew, and that realization made his chest swell so that he couldn't breathe. His heart seized and then beat rapidly as Sasuke's dull eyes surveyed the surroundings and then stopped on the cart next to the one with cabbages. He did not even acknowledge Naruto's presence as he selected a large quantity of tomatoes, paid the awestruck vendor and glided out of sight like a phantom. Even in his wake the marketplace remained subdued, as if his existence still lingered like a pall, oppressive mist.

Then everything returned to normal. Voices barked, babies cried, women laughed. It was as if nothing had happened, and yet to Naruto, everything had happened. Iruka turned back to the cabbage merchant and villagers continued on their journeys through town. Only Naruto remained frozen, rooted in place by a powerful grip, but of what? Was it still empathy? Sympathy? Naruto didn't know anything except that he needed to try to befriend Sasuke again, repeatedly if necessary. In fact, he wouldn't give up until the other boy relented. It was as if in that moment, that long and slow moment, the universe had told Naruto it had a mission for him, that he owed it for his current happiness.

And this was how he would repay his debt.

"Iruka, can we buy some tomatoes next?"

Naruto figured that the best way to get through to Sasuke was with food. That was how he had first made friends with Ramen-ojii-san and Ramen-onee-san, after all. Sasuke was still human, and Naruto thought that he wouldn't be able to resist his offers of food, not after persistent efforts. He did appear to like tomatoes an awful lot, if the huge quantity he had bought was any indication.

Naruto started the next day when he hastily grabbed a tomato and headed out the door. He found Sasuke sitting again at the dock where they had first met each other. Not for the first time, he wondered about the Academy's hours, and if Sasuke simply skipped classes to be here. The latter seemed most likely, considering that he was a reputed genius and no instructor in their right mind would deny the last surviving Uchiha whatever he wanted. Just thinking about it angered Naruto a bit, as he thought of Sasuke taking advantage of his status. Then again, Naruto wasn't sure he wouldn't do the same in Sasuke's position. He decided to dash those thoughts out of his mind and concentrate on his mission.

As he stealthily approached Sasuke, he was a little disappointed that the Uchiha noticed him. Apparently his ninja skills weren't quite up to par yet.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone, freak," Sasuke hissed, not bothering to even look at Naruto as he spoke such cruel words.

Naruto willed himself to not react. "Here," he said instead, holding out a tomato. Sasuke glanced at him quickly and scoffed in disbelief.

"What?"

"Here. I brought it for you. It's a gift."

"Are you joking? What the hell?"

"I got it for you," Naruto repeated.

Sasuke shook his head at the ridiculousness of it all.

"That's stupid. Why would you even think of something so idiotic? I don't want your stupid tomato!"

"Fine," Naruto said aloofly. He calmly walked forward and set the tomato down on the dock next to Sasuke.

"What're you deaf? I don't want your stupid tomato!"

But even as Sasuke said this, his eyes did not leave the fruit sitting next to him, and Naruto noticed with satisfaction that he didn't fling it off the dock. It was a start.

"Enjoy it," Naruto called over his shoulder as he turned to walk away. He felt pounding vibrations as Sasuke leapt to his feet and no doubt glared after him.

"I said I. Don't. Want. Your. STUPID. TOMATO!" Sasuke spat furiously.

"Then don't take it," Naruto answered indifferently.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "You probably poisoned it anyways!" he shouted.

At this, Naruto spun on his heel and eyed Sasuke pointedly.

"But isn't poisoning a tomato hard to do? How would an idiot like me know how to do that?"

With that, Naruto left Sasuke with his mouth agape and his whole body visibly trembling with rage and confusion. He smiled to himself.

Day 1: Success.

Unfortunately, day two didn't work as well. Sasuke seemed so convinced that Naruto was playing mind games with him that the instant Naruto set the tomato down, Sasuke picked it up and hurled it into the water, sneering as Naruto tried to keep the disappointment off his face.

Day three wasn't much better, as Sasuke repeated his earlier actions and grew so annoyed at Naruto's presence that he vilified him more than he had ever done so before. As Naruto left, he found that, this time, _he_ was the one trembling with hurt and sadness.

By day five, Iruka was getting suspicious of Naruto's escapades and strange mood swings. He tried to coax the information out of him, but Naruto was reluctant to share, wanting to completely succeed before he let Iruka know. In the meantime, he wouldn't give up. He was determined to get through to Sasuke.

Day seven brought about a change, and also a strange confrontation. For one, instead of reacting to Naruto's presence, Sasuke simply ignored him. He refused to respond to Naruto's words, and pretended that he didn't exist. Even as Naruto inched away, Sasuke didn't move. He neither touched nor threw away the tomato beside him.

As Naruto journeyed back to Konoha, he couldn't help but ponder over Sasuke's odd behavior. Did this mean he was making some progress? Naruto was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost didn't realize that he was about to walk into someone. He snapped out of it just before the collision, but before he could escape, the person glanced up and saw him.

"Naruto?" rang a sweet voice.

Naruto felt his heart hammering in his chest. She had such a striking resemblance to Ino that he instantly knew who she was. He involuntarily took a step backward.

"Don't be afraid, dear," Hanako implored him. "I was actually looking for you." She smiled at him. "I wanted to thank you for helping my daughter a little while ago."

Naruto's throat was so dry he couldn't manage a sound. Not to mention the fact that he was face-to-face with a woman whom everyone had claimed hated him. Stranger yet, she was acting _nice_ to him. Naruto didn't know what to think. His brain was locked.

"I actually meant to talk to you, Naruto. Would you mind coming with me for a short walk?"

Naruto nodded mutely, trying to decide whether or not he should run or obey her. He quickly peeked at her eyes and found that he couldn't quite read them. Was she being sincere? He scanned her person, attempting to determine if she had any weapons she could use against him. All she was carrying in her hand was a basket with some fruit and vegetables inside covered with a small towel. Was anything else concealed?

"It's alright," she assured him. She reached out as if to touch him, then seemed to think better of it. Naruto figured she didn't want to frighten him as she quickly withdrew her hand. "Won't you come?"

Naruto swallowed and then acquiesced, tamely following the Yamanaka woman as they walked back through town. Naruto felt his breathing grow rapid as she ushered them into an ally, but then it emerged into a field of bright, yellow flowers. Naruto tried not to get distracted by the scene, but it was a beautiful sight, and Hanako appeared equally delighted.

"Come, let's sit. I just wanted to get away from the village for a moment. Careful!" she abruptly admonished as Naruto almost crushed a flower. Naruto froze, his body quaking fearfully, as Hanako hurriedly tried to cover her mistake. "I'm sorry! Flowers are just very dear to me."

Naruto meekly accepted this explanation and carefully sat down across from the woman, shyly avoiding her gaze.

"I brought you here because this place calms me. And I need calm for what I'm about to do," she said, her voice a bit strained. Naruto braced himself.

"I wanted to apologize to you, Naruto."

Naruto gasped in surprise and stared up at her without thinking.

Hanako smiled thinly. "Yes, I truly do. You've been such a good…friend…to Ino, and I really wanted to apologize for my behavior. I realize that you've gotten a certain impression of me, and I just wanted to explain myself. You see, Naruto, like you, I was an orphan," she spoke in a tight tone. "I feared that if I saw you, or came near you, that I would be reminded of all the pain I experienced as a child. Do you understand?"

Naruto gazed at her in wonder, abruptly feeling ashamed that he had been so afraid of her.

"I…understand," he murmured timidly.

Hanako smiled sadly. "I thought you would. It was very hard for me to lose my parents," her voice grew choked up and she had to pause a moment before she could continue. "I didn't know how to explain my feelings to Ino. As smart as she is, I'm afraid that she just wouldn't be able to understand, having not experienced such a thing. I believe I also spoke rashly to her, which is what gave her the false impression of me that she passed on to you. I am truly sorry for everything, and I hope you can forgive me." Hanako bowed her head, hiding her face from Naruto.

Naruto was touched by this gesture, briefly wondering how he could have been so mistaken about Ino's mother.

"I forgive you," he said softly, smiling unsurely as Hanako raised her head and he saw tears glistening in her eyes.

"Thank you, Naruto. And I want you to know that you are welcome in my home anytime. I'm sure my daughter would appreciate the help."

Naruto nodded, overjoyed. "Thank you, Hanako-san!"

Hanako beamed back at him before suddenly crying out.

"Oh my!" she breathed as she held aloft the towel of her basket, which she had been wringing so fiercely with her hands that it was all wrinkled. She exhaled slowly, laughing gently. "I guess I got a bit emotional there."

Naruto just giggled in response.

That night, as he related his meeting with Hanako to Iruka, Naruto was fairly bouncing around the kitchen.

"She was so nice! I feel so bad for thinking things about her."

"Hmm," Iruka frowned thoughtfully. "It's not your fault, Naruto. I had misgivings too."

"Is something wrong, Iruka?"

Iruka was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I guess not. Just make sure you don't overstay your welcome at the Yamanaka's," he warned.

"I won't!" Naruto promised as he skipped into his room to practice reading.

Iruka stared after him, the frown still on his face. At last he sighed and relaxed, shrugging.

"Whatever," he said to himself as he trailed after Naruto.

* * *

"We haven't seen each other in _forever_ and you're _late_?" Shikamaru demanded as Naruto trotted up their favorite hill outside of Konoha. Choji was already there, lounging next to Shikamaru as the Nara finally decided he was exerting too much effort and lay back on the grass.

"Meh, whatever."

"What were you doing, Naruto?" Choji spoke up, offering him some potato chips which Naruto gladly accepted. As he lay down in his spot, he answered, crunching thoughtfully.

"I just had something to do," he hedged.

The others decided not to pursue the subject, so Naruto was left to his own thoughts for a moment. That morning, things had not gone well with Sasuke. The Uchiha still insisted on ignoring him, making Naruto wonder if he was getting anywhere. At this point, it seemed he was regressing. He almost wished Sasuke would go back to yelling at him, for at least it was some kind of reaction! Naruto knew that it would take Sasuke a while to be able to trust anyone again, so he figured he could wait. But how long would this take? He knew he wouldn't give up, but he was starting to lose hope. What if Sasuke never came around?

Sighing, he decided to stop thinking of these serious things and focus on the positive. For one, he was spending time with Choji and Shikamaru, which he hadn't done in a while. For another, they were peacefully cloud-gazing, which always made Naruto happy.

"So, how is training going for you guys?" Choji brought up innocently.

"Ugh!" Shikamaru groaned. "Don't remind me! It's so boring and…blah. My dad is a serious crazy person."

Naruto and Choji laughed.

"You're dad's not crazy!" Naruto giggled.

"Not when you're around!" Shikamaru insisted. "But alone he is like 'I am a ninja, and you will be a ninja, so you must listen to me if you want to become anything to this village'."

"That sounds about right," Choji agreed. "Although my dad's always been like that."

"Is Iruka crazy to you, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked.

"No. He's really awesome. Yesterday, he taught me this really cool stance and said that if I master it, no one can knock me over!"

"Have you mastered it yet?"

"Nope. I got knocked over," Naruto admitted sheepishly as they all laughed. "But I've been practicing everyday!"

"Everyday?" Shikamaru sounded dismayed. "I am really not looking forward to going to the Academy. If the teachers' lectures are as boring as my dad's, I'm definitely going to fall asleep in class."

"We'll just have to wake you up then," Naruto said.

"Or we could have Ino do it. She talks loud enough to be like an alarm clock!" Choji giggled.

"That's for sure," Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Speaking of Ino, Naruto, I hear you've been hanging out with her a lot lately."

Naruto's insides squirmed a bit, not wanting his friends to judge him.

"Well…yeah. She's actually not so bad when you get to know her. Besides, Sakura's there too."

"Sakura?" Choji repeated.

Shikamaru gasped and flipped onto his belly to give Naruto a knowing smile and wink.

"I think you have a crush on Sakura!" he said in a sing-song voice.

Naruto was horrified. "N-no I don't!"

Choji and Shikamaru exchanged glances before bursting into song.

"Naruto and Sakura, sitting in a tree—"

"No it's not like that!" Naruto interrupted fiercely, blushing hotly. "Sakura's just really nice and Ino is too! I like spending time with them, that's all!"

The boys gave Naruto a break as Shikamaru smirked.

"Alright, alright. I just don't envy you spending time with _Ino_ of all people. But at least she's being nice to you."

"Yeah, and her mom is really nice too," Naruto added, filling them in on his and Hanako's encounter.

"Wow, that's really great Naruto!" Choji agreed, beaming at his friend.

"Huh. I never would've thought that," Shikamaru remarked. He shrugged. "Whatever. I have been known to be wrong sometimes."

"Or all the time," Choji cut in, laughing as Naruto joined him.

Shikamaru was not amused. "Hey! That's not very nice! Whatever happened to my nice friend Choji?"

"He turned into a big, Akimichi ninja!" Choji laughed.

"Great," Shikamaru muttered sarcastically, then feigned dramatics. "Well Naruto, I guess it's just you and me now!"

"Nope, sorry Shikamaru, but I'm going to be a ninja too! Maybe even Hokage!"

"So you're both going to abandon me?" Shikamaru said in a fake, choked-up voice. "Some friends you are!"

"Aw, Shikamaru, we'll never abandon you," Choji said, suddenly serious.

"Not ever," Naruto added sincerely.

There was an uncomfortably emotional silence that followed before Shikamaru spoke up.

"And I'll never leave you guys either. Us three, we'll be great."

"Yeah," Choji and Naruto chorused, returning their gazes to the sky.

* * *

Naruto stared down at the dock forlornly. What would Sasuke be like today? Naruto steeled himself for the worst as he approached. At first, Naruto thought Sasuke was employing the same ignorance as he had been for the past several days. Then, all of a sudden, as Naruto turned away, there came a dead voice.

"Why are you doing this?"

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks.

"Why?" Sasuke sounded defeated, exhausted. "What do you want?"

Naruto slowly turned around to find Sasuke still staring out at the water with slumped shoulders.

"I want to be your friend."

There was a pause. Then, "My friend?" he repeated in disbelief. "You want to be my friend?"

"Yes."

Sasuke swiveled around to face him, his eyes glaring suspiciously.

"Why?"

"Because I know what it's like to be alone," Naruto answered truthfully, not backing down from Sasuke's calculating gaze.

"Do you pity me?" Sasuke sneered, leaping to his feet. "I thought I told you I didn't want your pity! That I wanted to be left alone!"

"You are alone."

At these cold words, Sasuke gave a strangled sob.

"You think you know me, but you have no idea! How can you possibly think you understand what I'm going through?"

"Because I'm Uzumaki Naruto." He didn't need to explain himself. His name stood for everything.

Sasuke was fighting strong emotions. He nearly looked on the verge of tears, though he stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"I don't need anyone, especially not you! I don't need any friends! I just need…just need…" his voice trailed off hopelessly as he sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands.

Naruto slowly put a comforting hand on the trembling Uchiha's shoulder, but wasn't expecting to be violently thrown aside. This was so unexpected that Naruto lost his balance and tumbled off the side of the dock and into the water. He didn't get a chance to breathe before he plunged beneath the surface, gulping water. He thrashed with his hands, desperate to reach the surface, but it was so far away and he was sinking quickly. He was painfully reminded of his inability to swim, and now he was about to die. His flailing only served to make him sink faster.

He couldn't breathe! His lungs burned, his eyes burned! The shimmering water above him seemed to blur before his eyes as darkness descended, but not before a strange sensation erupted in his belly. It was a feeling of utter desperation and despair, but also of fierce rage and frustration. A haze of red tinged the shadow of his vision as Naruto felt himself losing consciousness.

Then, out of nowhere, there was a hand and a face. The hand grabbed his shirt and yanked hard, dragging him up from the depths. Naruto broke the surface with a gasp, but was too weak to help as the nameless savior pulled him up onto the dock and then collapsed beside him, heaving tiredly.

Naruto breathed sweet oxygen as he coughed up water, spitting it out as he rolled onto his side clutching at his stomach. Those strange emotions he had felt before were gone, for which Naruto was grateful. They had scared him because he didn't know their origins. Where had they come from?

"You stupid idiot!" came a breathless voice, jarring him out of his musings.

Naruto blinked vapidly and saw Sasuke's face float into existence before him, his black hair hanging about his face and dripping wet.

"How can you not know how to swim, moron?"

* * *

From that moment on, Naruto considered Sasuke his friend, and although the Uchiha would never admit it, he had crossed the line into friendship the instant he decided to pull Naruto out of the water.

The first few days of their friendship were interesting, to the say the least, and quite a bit awkward for Sasuke. Although some deep, remote part of him _did_ consider Naruto his friend, he found that he couldn't voice that sentiment out loud. He kept telling himself that he was allowing Naruto to spend time with him because the blond was indebted to him for saving his life, and he was honor-bound to such a contract. However, as time passed, he found himself increasingly looking forward to Naruto's company if not to distract him from his loneliness. The blond was always so…_annoyingly_ cheerful that Sasuke couldn't help but forget his morose thoughts and for once concentrate on the present. Left to his own, his thoughts would only swirl to the past and the future, and the strength he would need to avenge his clan by killing his brother. Naruto's brightness provided a welcome respite from dark considerations.

One day, they had convened as usual on the dock. So far, they hadn't ventured anywhere, since Naruto had sensed Sasuke's reluctance to such an activity. To appease him and not aggravate their new relationship, Naruto was fine to simply dangle his legs over the edge of the dock and prattle on about anything and everything. At times he paused for Sasuke's input, which was growing each day. Naruto was very satisfied with his new friend's progress, if hearing his voice was any indication. In the beginning, Sasuke had said nothing at all, so now to hear him at least mutter a quick word or two made his heart soar. Naruto also realized something strange: he had told Sasuke more than he had told any of his other friends combined. Even though they had only had a few conversations (mostly one-sided), Naruto had broached topics he was too afraid to go into with the others, even Iruka. He didn't know why being around Sasuke loosened his tongue, but it made him feel good to get certain things off his chest.

Although he knew Sasuke wasn't scornful of these deep, personal revelations (for the Uchiha usually just listened and made no comment on these subjects), Naruto made sure to also include lighter material. Like ramen.

Naruto could speak endlessly about the delights of ramen, and was so enraptured in his descriptions that he jumped when Sasuke fiercely interrupted.

"Moron, stop talking about ramen already! You make it sound like food from the gods, and it definitely _isn't_!"

Naruto pretended to be offended. "What? How could you say that? Have you ever even _tried_ ramen, idiot?"

Sasuke sniffed. "No, though it sounds to me like you've never eaten anything else in your life. You have no base for comparison."

"Yes I do! But once you've had ramen, you can't go back," Naruto swore passionately.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Yeah right."

Naruto leapt to his feet. "I can prove it! Let's go to Ichiraku's right now!" After Sasuke didn't reply, Naruto added, "I did invite you awhile ago, and you can't keep putting it off! You've got to come!"

Suddenly, Sasuke assumed a malicious grin and began to cackle.

Naruto was taken aback. "Sasuke?" he asked nervously.

"I think we _should_ go to Ichiraku's!" He began to cackle again, though as his face lightened, the cackle gradually became deriding laughter. Naruto was relieved at this, if only that it was laughter at all.

"Why did you change your mind?"

Sasuke's grin became accentuated by a spark that had long been missing from his eyes.

"I was just picturing people's faces when we're seen together!" he explained, his voice abruptly cutting off as he laughed scathingly.

Naruto paused to think about it and then returned Sasuke's cheshire grin, picturing the revulsion on some of the villager's faces. Sasuke, the Golden Boy with the village pariah? The scandal! The outrage! Reactions would be priceless!

"This should be good!" Sasuke smirked as he stood and the pair headed into Konoha.

* * *

Teuchi had seen many odd things in his life, but was never more surprised when his favorite customer arrived with none other than the _Uchiha_ boy beside him, both clutching their sides and biting back laughter. The sight was more unnerving than he cared to admit, those his unease abated slightly at seeing their utter mirth. He knew that both boys certainly deserved happiness in their lives after what they had been through, but he had never thought that they would find happiness in _each other_. Of all the friendships in the world, this had to be the most puzzling.

"Did you—did you see that guy staring at us, with his mouth wide open? He was just _standing_ there, staring, and then almost got run over!" Naruto was laughing breathlessly as the two mounted respective barstools.

"I personally liked the old woman whose expression went from confusion to anger so quickly that her face turned purple!" Sasuke added, his smile dropping once he noticed Teuchi eyeing them curiously.

Naruto turned to the old man and beamed. "Ramen ojii-san! I brought another friend today! This is Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded curtly in greeting even as he muttered, "idiot" under his breath, seeing as introductions were clearly unnecessary.

"It's nice to meet you, Sasuke. I'm Teuchi," Teuchi introduced himself, though he faltered when he wasn't quite sure what to say next. He was luckily saved by his daughter, who burst through the back smiling.

"Did I hear Naruto or am I wrong? Oh, Naruto! Great to see you! And you must be—!" Ayame's words cut off as she paused to collect herself. "Uchiha Sasuke, am I right? I've heard of you, though I was never told how cute you were!"

"Ramen onee-chan!" Naruto groaned.

Beside him, Sasuke blushed fiercely. He had been called many things since the incident, but never _cute_! How mortifying! To cover his embarrassment, he quickly assumed his characteristic smirk, keeping his eyes low and his expression dark.

Ayame simply grinned wickedly, glad to see a reaction. She smiled brighter as her father gave her a warning glare which she promptly ignored.

"So, what're your orders today, boys?" she asked pleasantly.

"Miso and beef ramen for both of us!" Naruto answered immediately.

"You too?"

Sasuke tried to look bored. "Sure. Maybe if I finally try some Naruto will stop talking about it."

"Never!" Naruto vowed. "Ramen is my favorite thing in the world! I could never stop talking about it!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Great," he muttered darkly, though Naruto didn't sense any true hostility in his tone.

"You'll love it, I know it," Naruto said gleefully, grinning exuberantly at Sasuke, who simply harrumphed in reply.

"So, how's your training coming along, Naruto?" Ayame asked as her father went to fill out the orders. It turned out that Naruto and Sasuke were the only occupants that afternoon, though Teuchi perfectly understood why. It would be far too…_bizarre_…to sit in a restaurant where Sasuke and Naruto chatted away amiably with each other.

Not to mention really, really uncomfortable.

Looking back on it, Teuchi could sympathize with his fellow villagers' reactions, no matter how peculiar they might have been.

"My training's going great!" Naruto chattered, "I get up early everyday and practice with Iruka before he goes to work, and I think I'm really getting better! Though there are some things I'm having trouble with… Hey Sasuke, maybe you could help me with them? You're in the Academy, right?"

"I was."

Naruto frowned. Ayame took this as her cue to exit into the back, not wanting to really intrude upon their conversation and knowing that Sasuke would be guarded around her.

"What do you mean that you _were_ in the Academy? Don't you still go everyday?"

Sasuke scoffed. "Are you an idiot? What, you thought they were letting me skip classes so I could sit on the dock all day long? The Hokage granted me a leave of absence since…since…" he trailed off and Naruto swallowed unsurely.

"Oh. But you _were_ in the Academy? Didn't you get in when you turned six?"

Sasuke nodded petulantly.

"Yeah! Moron."

Teuchi sucked in a breath, not liking where Sasuke had taken their conversation. How dare he insult Naruto? How utterly rude of him! It didn't matter who he was: Teuchi wouldn't stand for that! He was about to cut in when Naruto spoke up gently, seemingly determined to not let Sasuke's barb affect him.

"Then you know some really cool techniques, I bet?"

Sasuke gazed at him, though Naruto was staring down at the counter. He felt somewhat bad that he had reacted so bluntly, but he found he couldn't apologize.

"Of course I learned some cool techniques," he stated coldly.

Naruto let a smile creep onto his face as he turned to eye Sasuke excitedly.

"Will you teach me?"

Sasuke took in his eagerness and bright face.

"No."

Naruto was unperturbed. "Come on, please? Pretty please? I'll keep talking about ramen!" he finally threatened.

"No."

"Ramen noodles are delicious when they are strung in such a way, and the broth has to have special spices in it to make it really, really good! So good that you'll never-"

"Fine!" Sasuke cut him short. "I'll teach you some moves. But it's only because I have nothing better to do anyways."

Naruto cheered as Teuchi shook his head, smiling. Boy, that Uzumaki kid was something else.

When their orders arrived, Naruto immediately dove into his bowl, zealously slurping down the contents. He stopped suddenly and decided to watch Sasuke try his first bite. The Uchiha picked at his bowl unsurely and then sighed, aware of Naruto's penetrating gaze. He gingerly took his first bite and then tipped the bowl into his mouth for a bit of the broth, letting it stay in his mouth a moment before he swallowed.

Naruto held his breath anxiously. Sasuke was still as he absorbed the taste, though he made no indication of how he felt. At last, Naruto couldn't take his silence anymore.

"Well?" he demanded. When Sasuke didn't reply, he increased the intensity of his voice. "WELL?"

Sasuke relished in Naruto's fretfulness before answering slowly.

"It's…good."

"I KNEW it!" Naruto erupted. "I KNEW you'd like it!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, though there was a slight grin on his face as he took another bite.

When both boys were finished, they paid for their meals and stood to leave. Teuchi thanked them for their business and told them to come again, though this was automatic. Inside, he was reflecting on what an interesting pair they made. Interesting, yet, somehow, compatible. He couldn't quite explain his feelings on the matter, though after witnessing their interaction firsthand, he couldn't help but feel that their friendship was not a mistake. Maybe they were just what each other needed, by some odd, far-fetched miracle.

* * *

Naruto was smiling happily to himself as he made his way to the Yamanaka's. Although Sasuke had vehemently declined his invitation to the flower shop, Naruto honestly felt as though he had made a huge leap in breaking the shell Sasuke had erected around himself. It made him feel so giddy that he practically skipped to the Yamanaka's, ignoring the looks he got from passersby. He didn't care at all what people thought of him: he had a new friend who was slowly but surely opening up to him!

Naruto felt his happiness fade slightly as he entered the Yamanaka establishment and bumped into Ino immediately, who informed him that Sakura wouldn't be joining them. At that moment, when he registered his disappointment at Sakura's absence, the teasing song Shikamaru and Choji had sung to him rushed back to his mind, causing him to flush.

_Naruto and Sakura, sitting in a tree—_

Did he really have a crush on Sakura? Suddenly the thought horrified him, and he had to steadfastly assure himself that it wasn't true.

No way. He definitely did not like Sakura like _that_. She was a _girl_. So what if she was pretty and nice and… No! No crush here!

"Naruto, are you okay? You look like you have a fever," Ino voiced up in concern, noting Naruto's very red face.

"No, I'm fine," he strained through gritted teeth.

Ino gazed at him questioningly and then nodded. "Oh, okay. One of those quick, amazing 'healy' things right? Got it."

"…Sure," Naruto answered, not really paying attention. He was too busy trying to quell his madly swirling thoughts.

"Ino, sweetie?" came a pleasant voice. Hanako appeared around the corner with a smile on her face that dropped slightly when she saw Naruto. She quickly shook her head and beamed at him as he snapped out of his mood and respectfully greeted her.

"Hello, Hanako-san!"

"Ah, I didn't know you were coming over! I guess it's a good thing today, though. I did want some help baking."

"Mom's making cookies," Ino explained. "Wanna help?"

From what Naruto could smell, that seemed like a _very_ good idea! He nodded eagerly and followed the Yamanakas into the kitchen where all kinds of baking utensils were laid out. Ino directed him to a cutting board upon which some cookie dough had been rolled flat. She showed him how to make the cookies into different shapes with cookie-cutters, and then how to decorate them with candies and sprinkles. Throughout all of this, she babbled on about nothing in particular.

"So then I was thinking to myself 'Maybe if she wore something different she would look better' so we went to another store and I saw an outfit that would work perfectly! Of course, Dad says I should stop thinking about clothes and focus more on my training. Did you know that I started training with my dad, Naruto? He's been showing me some really cool techniques that don't get me dirty at all! They're family secrets, so I can't show them to you, sorry! Dad says that I have to be ready for the Academy, and he even said that I should start training with Choji and Shikamaru!" At this, she grimaced a bit, for once pausing in her out-loud musings. Naruto nodded absently as she resumed with vivacity.

"I'm kind of sad though because it looks like I'll be stuck with them. It's not that I don't like them; it's just that I'll be the only girl on the team! I wish the genin teams weren't always formed like that. It would be fun to be on one with Sakura, but seeing as the Yamanakas, Akimichis and Naras have been on the same team for the past two generations, I guess I'm stuck with it. Choji's really nice, but Shikamaru can be kind of mean sometimes, and they both really don't have an eye for fashion. Besides, what could I talk to them about? They don't understand me and even if they wanted to, they would just ignore me I bet. Not like you, Naruto. You're not like the other boys. Wouldn't it be great if we were on the same team together? I mean, if I could choose I would want a team with my best friends – you and Sakura." Before Ino could go on, she was interrupted by fierce coughing from her mother's direction.

"Mom, are you okay?" she asked concernedly.

Hanako couldn't answer through her coughing and simply smiled reassuredly as she exited the room to collect herself. When she didn't come back for a while, Ino decided to go after her, telling Naruto to wait behind.

Naruto hummed thoughtfully to himself, praying that Hanako was alright. Slowly he ventured around the kitchen, merely looking at things as he waited for Ino and her mother to return. He was suddenly startled from his absentminded wandering when he nearly bumped into Ino's father, who had entered silently and abruptly.

"Hello, Naruto," he said in neutral tone.

Naruto gawked up at him shyly, still a little intimidated by him.

"Hello, Inoichi-san. The—"

"What are you doing here?" Inoichi interrupted in a mild tone, though his calculating eyes roved intensely about the kitchen.

"We were baking cookies," Naruto explained timidly, feeling as though he had done something wrong when Inoichi's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"With Hanako?"

Naruto nodded, biting his lip, just as Ino and Hanako returned.

"Dear, you've come back early!" Hanako smiled tightly.

"Hi Dad!" Ino cried as Inoichi beamed briefly at his daughter and then looked questioningly at his wife.

"Hanako, might we converse in the other room for a moment?"

As the adults disappeared into a side room, Naruto released a breath he hadn't known he was holding. He glanced at Ino for a moment.

"Um…I think I should be going now," he spoke up quietly.

Ino, busy with more cookies, looked up in surprise.

"Huh? But you just got here! And you haven't even had a chance to taste them yet!"

"I…I don't think your father wants me here," he admitted, staring at his feet.

"What? No way!"

"I…don't want to impose…"

"Naruto!" Ino huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "You don't have to be afraid of my dad!" Her tone softened as she saw that Naruto was shame-faced. "It's true though. I mean, I guess the whole pupil-less thing is freaky, but my eyes are the same way and you can deal with me, right? I'm not scary am I?"

Naruto giggled. "No, you're not scary at all!"

Ino nodded in approval. "Right now I'm not. But when I'm a ninja, everyone's going to run away from me!"

"Yeah, but not for that reason!" Naruto burst out before he could stop himself.

Ino pouted at him, though a small grin played at her lips. At last she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"You've been spending too much time with Shikamaru!" she admonished, a wicked glint in her eye making Naruto laugh again as they dove once more into the batch of cookies.

* * *

_A/N: We're slowly but surely building up to the scene that inspired this story…I can't wait! Despite having started this story not caring much about it, I've grown to love it and all its characters, so now I'm really excited for it and your reactions too!_

_Happy New Year everyone, albeit a little belatedly!_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Here it is, folks. The chapter inspired from the dream that inspired this story. I hope you don't mind that this one is a little short…I just really wanted to end it at a certain point, so forgive me! At least it was a fast update, right? Oh, and I want to pay quick homage to the Avatar soundtrack for REALLY helping write this part. The movie…meh…but the soundtrack…AMAZINGLY AWESOME! Thank you James Horner!_

_

* * *

_

Chapter 5_  
_

"You're friends with _who_?" Shikamaru was shocked.

Naruto swallowed heavily, unable to meet Shikamaru's piercing gaze.

"I…I…" he fumbled weakly.

"He said Uchiha Sasuke," Choji offered.

Shikamaru gave him a look. "I _heard _him! It's just…Sasuke? Out of all the kids you're friends with _Sasuke_?"

Naruto wondered if he had gone too far, was pushing his friendship with Choji and Shikamaru a bit too much. The three of them had gathered at Choji's house, and were currently lounging in his room enjoying some snacks (courtesy of Chiharu). Naruto, not wanting to keep secrets from his oldest friends, had revealed his recent escapades with Sasuke. Needless to say, he hadn't quite expected Shikamaru's reaction to be so fierce.

"Aw, Shikamaru. Why are you getting so upset? I think it's a good thing. Sasuke needs a friend, and Naruto's perfect!" Choji remarked, trying to lift their moods.

Shikamaru sighed. "I know. It's just…I've seen him sometimes. Always _brooding_ and alone and mean… I've seen the way he looks at people. It's like…he hates everyone!" he tried to explain. He glanced at Naruto and, upon noticing that he had upset him, mentally berated himself. "Hey, Naruto, sorry to be so blunt. I'm just…worried about you…" he trailed off lamely.

Naruto peeked up and gave Shikamaru a small smile. "I know. Iruka reacted in the same way. I just… Sasuke's not so bad. He's just scared and sad and angry. But he's been really nice to me! We've gone to Ichiraku's a few times, and the other day he taught me a really cool technique!" he exclaimed, brightening as he gazed hopefully at Choji's and Shikamaru's faces, wanting approval.

"I think it's great!" Choji beamed before glaring at Shikamaru. "Right, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Alright, alright! I take back what I said about him!" He ran his hand through his hair. "This whole thing is so troublesome." He glared pointedly at Naruto. "Hey, if he does anything mean to you, let us know, got it?"

Naruto nodded, his friends' desire to protect him making him feel warm inside.

"And I'd do the same for you," he vowed in response.

Shikamaru smirked. "Haven't we gone over this before?" He was a bit uncomfortable by the mushiness of their conversation and the fierceness of Naruto's conviction. "Anyone got a change in topic?"

"Training?" Naruto suggested.

"Nah. It's just the same old thing over and over again."

"We could talk about food!" Choji said eagerly.

"Mmm…that could be good."

"Well, my mom made another cake last night for her birthday. My dad tried to make it at first, but it didn't turn out so well!" Choji laughed. "The whole house was filled with smoke! We had to open up all the windows and everything!"

At the mention of cake, Shikamaru sat up a bit straighter. "Cake? Is there any left?"

"Yeah, I think so—"

"I thought you boys might be getting low on your snacks!" Chiharu interrupted as she shouldered open Choji's bedroom door carrying a massive tray in her hand. She set it down between them, and Naruto for one couldn't help but start to salivate at the three generous pieces of cake Chiharu had brought them.

"Wow, thanks Chiharu-san!" Shikamaru called as she turned to leave.

"Oh, happy birthday!" Naruto added. Chiharu stopped and faced him from the doorway.

"Thank you, Naruto, though I suppose I shouldn't be happy to be reminded of my age!" she laughed boisterously.

"I'm sorry I didn't get you anything…" Naruto admitted softly, looking down.

Chiharu sniffled. "Oh, darling, you didn't have to get me anything! Goodness!" She smiled tearfully as Naruto shyly returned her grin. "Well, why don't you just keep being friends with my Choji here and I'll count that as my gift?"

"But…I'd do that anyways…" Naruto protested.

Chiharu winked. "Exactly, dear. Really, don't worry about it! Enjoy the cake, boys!"

Naruto sighed resignedly as he turned back to the others. Shikamaru was already engorging himself upon the cake, as evidenced by a dab of frosting on his nose. Naruto exchanged looks with Choji who had similarly noticed. With a mutual nod, they decided not to say anything, though Shikamaru grew slightly suspicious as they muffled laughter behind their hands.

"What?" he demanded. When Choji and Naruto continued to crack up without explanation, he huffed and decided to ignore them. "Whatever." He ferociously dug back into the cake, pausing to appreciate the wonderful tastes in his mouth. "Man, Choji, you're so lucky! Your mom is so nice! She lets you eat anything you want! My mom tries to force me to eat vegetables. Sometimes I feel like asparagus is coming out of my ears!"

"That, and with the frosting on your nose, you're like a food monster!" Naruto giggled wickedly, causing Choji to spit out some of his cake as he began to laugh hard.

Realizing that they were ganging up on him, Shikamaru frowned even as he stubbornly wiped the frosting of his nose. His pout only made them laugh harder.

"You guys are the worst!" Shikamaru complained lightly, shaking his head with a slight grin. Their laughter faded as they returned to the cake, munching contently in silence. Then, out of nowhere, Shikamaru spoke up.

"So what was that cool technique Sasuke showed you?"

* * *

Naruto thrummed his fingers on the table as he chewed on a pencil, his brows furrowed in concentration. Iruka watched him with a bemused grin on his face, knowing that Naruto was trying really hard to focus on his writing assignment, but was in actuality pent up with impatience.

"You know, I think that's enough of the writing exercises for today," he chuckled as Naruto immediately set his pencil down and pushed back from the table.

"Really? You mean I can go?"

"You've been talking about this all week! If I kept you here any longer, you'd probably explode," Iruka teased Naruto laughingly.

Naruto merely grinned at him as he raced into the bedroom to change out of his pajamas.

About a week ago, Naruto had just barely welcomed Iruka home from work before bursting with news of an invitation he had received. Apparently, Hanako had invited Naruto, Ino and Sakura on a special picnic outside of the village. Hanako was preparing a sumptuous meal for them, and was taking them to the special grounds on top of the Hokage Monument. Having learned about the Hokages and wanting to be one himself, Naruto was ecstatic to be able to get so close to them. In addition, the promise of wonderful food and friendship set Naruto over the edge in excitement. All week he had bounced around their apartment, chattering happily about what this trip would include as he breathlessly hopped about the place. It had taken nearly all of Iruka's patience to get Naruto to settle down and resume their normal training/literacy routine.

Now, Naruto was buzzing with so much energy that Iruka could almost feel it crackling in the air.

"Oh to be so seven again," he murmured wistfully, chuckling.

"Iruka! Iruka! Am I ready _now_?" Naruto called as he skipped out of their room with a wide smile on his face. Iruka couldn't speak for a moment as a lump collected in his throat. Nothing in his entire life would ever compare to seeing Naruto happy. In just a few short months, Naruto had gained a new insight and was really _living_. It made Iruka so choked up that he couldn't help but pull the boy into his arms and hug him tightly. His heart soared when he felt Naruto's little arms squeezing him back.

"Yes, I think you're ready," Iruka said, halting Naruto for a moment to ruffle his hair affectionately. "Have a good time!" he called as Naruto raced out the door. Even though Naruto was gone, Iruka stood staring after him for several minutes, feeling his stomach swelling with emotion. Pride welled within him, though worry was also present.

Worry, the ever constant companion of a loving parent.

* * *

"Wow, Konoha looks so amazing from here!" Ino breathed as she hiked after her mother, trailed by Sakura and Naruto. The small group paused to take in the stunning view for a moment before pressing on.

"Be careful girls," Hanako warned as the kids leaned slightly over the side. Far below them the faces of their founding fathers stretched out of the sheer rock, and beyond that, the entire village extended into the distance. Rows upon rows of houses popped up in every direction, and just before them stood the mighty Hokage Tower, with the connecting set of stairs that they had taken to climb the great mountain. With a few more steps, they arrived on a smaller, dirt path.

"The picnic area is not much further," Hanako called back to them, as she readjusted the large pack of food on her back. She glanced back quickly, her eyes scanning the way they had just come, before resuming the march. After a short walk, they pushed through some bushes and emerged into a flat, grassy clearing surrounded by trees.

The kids stopped to admire the setting as Hanako started to set up their lunch. She spread out a picnic blanket, and then had the rest of them help her arrange their bentos and cups. Once the food was laid out, Naruto had to gawk at the feast before him.

"This looks delicious, Hanako-san!" he said as he settled himself between Sakura and Ino.

"Thank you so much for bringing us here!" Sakura echoed, though frowned slightly when she saw that Hanako was a bit distracted. The older Yamanaka woman was intently gazing at the path they had just taken, and her eyes were flickering in all directions as if frightened by each little sound that emerged from the forest around them.

"Mom?" Ino spoke up concernedly.

Hanako snapped back into attention and laughed lightly. "Sorry, girls. I guess I'm just not used to being in the woods like this."

"Don't worry, Hanako-san! I'll protect you," Naruto promised as he began to explain his training regimen.

"That's very kind of you, Naruto," Hanako cut him off with a tight smile.

Naruto grinned at her in understanding as the girls sparked up a new conversation. As he listened to them, Naruto was content to enjoy the food and their company in silence, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get in a word in edgewise anyways.

After a little while, Naruto noticed that Hanako began to grow more anxious. He wondered what about the woods would frighten her so much, and what he could do to make her less afraid. He was about to open his mouth and suggest something when Hanako intercepted his intentions.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, girls, but… Naruto, would you mind coming with me for a walk? There's something I want to discuss."

"Can't we come with you?" Ino spoke up, regarding her mother and Naruto curiously.

"No, no, stay! Enjoy the food. You're not even done eating yet," Hanako pointed out. She turned to Naruto and gazed at him meaningfully. "Besides, I'm not sure you two would really understand."

"What wouldn't we understand?" Ino frowned.

Naruto turned to Ino and shrugged sheepishly. "It's…kind of a secret," he said, warming inside at the fact that Hanako trusted him to be her confidant over the others. As Hanako steered him away from the girls and led him into the woods, he wondered what she wanted to tell him. Was it the reason why she was scared of the forest? Because if it was, it was awfully strange for her to be bringing him so deeply into it. Indeed, he could sense her growing unease and when he paused to really look at her, he could see that she was shaking.

"Hanako-san, are you okay? Isn't this far enough—?"

"No. Just a little bit further," Hanako barked at him, causing Naruto to jump at the tone of her voice. She sure was scared. Why didn't they stop? Naruto didn't want to upset her by asking more questions, so he just kept quiet.

A few moments later, Naruto realized that they were ascending a slight rise. They continued to do so, huffing due to their quick pace, as they broke the tree-line and emerged at the edge of the cliffs. One particular rock jutted out over a ravine. Even on tip-toes, Naruto couldn't quite see the bottom of it.

"Hanako-san?" he said unsurely as he turned around to face the Yamanaka, who was really looking worse for the wear. She was breathing heavily, and Naruto could see beads of perspiration on her skin. "Are you—?" But Hanako held up her hand for silence as she straightened and gazed intensely at Naruto, who shriveled slightly at the fierceness of her eyes.

"There is something important that I must tell you."

Naruto swallowed heavily and stared at her, waiting patiently.

"Naruto," she said, leaning in to him, "Do you know why you are hated?"

Naruto blinked and then gasped in shock, recalling Iruka's words.

_I wish I could tell you, but per the Hokage's orders, anyone that reveals that…will not be allowed to live much longer. _

"Hanako-san, you can't—"

"_Don't_ interrupt me!" she snarled viciously, causing Naruto to recoil fearfully. Was this it? Was he about to find out what kind of person he really was? He hadn't thought about that for a long time now, though in an instant his doubts forcefully returned to his mind, making him anxious.

"Come here," Hanako said a little more gently as she ushered Naruto onto the outcropping rock. He followed hesitantly, trembling as Hanako raised her hand and pointed in the distance. "Do you see that?"

Naruto nodded. "That's…that's Konoha," he stammered.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Hanako sighed wistfully as Naruto timidly agreed. "But you know, it wasn't always this peaceful. Do you know what happened a little over seven years ago? Have you heard of the Kyuubi?"

Again, Naruto nodded shyly. Iruka had told him, though it had been a painful memory for him. Naruto distinctly remembered it because Iruka had been so sad, especially after revealing that his parents had been killed when the Kyuubi attacked. Although Iruka glossed over the details, it had left a definite impression on Naruto at what a tragedy it had been.

"The…the Fourth Hokage defeated the Kyuubi, right?"

Hanako let out a bitter laugh. "Yes, but do you know _how_?"

Naruto shook his head, growing scared at the strange glint in Hanako's eyes.

"The Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to seal the Kyuubi into a child who happened to be born on the day in question." She stared at Naruto with a nasty smile. "That day was October 10."

Naruto felt his world crashing down. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think. The Kyuubi, the horrible creature that had attacked Konoha, killed so many people including Iruka's parents, was sealed inside of him? That was what that marking was on his stomach? No…it wasn't possible…

Unbidden memories of Mama-san returned to him, and he abruptly remembered the hatred in the woman's eyes as she stared at his stomach and the marking there…

Naruto shook his head in denial. "No…" he whimpered, tears blurring his vision.

"Yes, Naruto!" Hanako hissed. "The Kyuubi is sealed inside of _you. You _are the reason it is still alive!"

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut even as he kept shaking his head.

"Don't try to deny it!" Hanako screeched shrilly. "How dare you try to deny my pain? My suffering? Thanks to you, the beast that killed my sister lives on!" When Naruto gazed up in confusion, Hanako merely laughed in his face. "Oh yes, I forgot to share that lovely detail with you! You see, I never knew my parents. They both died when I was too young to remember them. It was my older sister who raised me, who became the mother I never had."

Tears formed in Hanako's eyes as she continued, her voice choked. "It was my sister who loved me, and whom I loved more than the world! When she fell in love with a ninja, I was at first upset, but I came to love him as well. We were a family!"

Hanako paused to control herself. Her face twisted ghoulishly and she sneered.

"Until that monster came and ninja were called out to stop it. My sister had to check on her boyfriend, and left me behind. I was so scared, so alone. I just wanted her to come back," she appeared lost in her thoughts for a moment before clenching her fist and hardening her voice. "But she never did. She died that night along with him! She wasn't even a ninja! She was an innocent bystander! SHE DIDN'T DESERVE TO DIE!"

Hanako set her fevered gaze on Naruto who was sobbing so hard he couldn't breathe.

"P-p-please…s-s-stop!" he begged desperately, not wanting to hear anymore.

"You would like that, wouldn't you, you demon!" Hanako spat. "Don't think I don't know what you are! Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do! You appear as an innocent, hapless child, but you're really scheming to take over! You're already converting the minds of our children, including _my daughter_! They all think you are their friend, but they don't understand! They can't see the monster that you are or how you are taking them hostage so their parents are helpless! You want our own children to fight against us by defending _you_! Well, I refuse to let my daughter defend such an animal! I refuse to let her get hurt! I REFUSE TO BE HELPLESS!"

Before Naruto could think, Hanako had snatched the front of his shirt and yanked him close. She got right into his face.

"I'm doing the people of Konoha a favor by saving their children," she stated with deadly calm as she grabbed Naruto and held him near the edge of the cliff.

Naruto's mind screamed as he wriggled feebly in her steely grasp, his breathing becoming erratic as he struggled futilely.

"I know that what I'm doing is right, because I know that when you die, the Kyuubi dies with you," Hanako whispered eerily. "And you _will_ die. My daughter may have mentioned your pathetic healing powers, but they won't be able to work from this high up!" she seethed.

"No! Please!" Naruto cried, glimpsing the dark ravine he was precariously dangling over and resuming his efforts. "Please!" he pleaded.

Hanako ignored him as her face hardened in resolve. "You will never hurt anyone ever again."

"NO!" Naruto screamed as his vision turned red. Suddenly, his body was encased in a bubbly, reddish aura that coalesced into the image of the head of a fox. The disembodied head snapped its teeth and growled ferociously, causing Hanako to gasp and take a step backward, though her grip did not loosen. Instead, it tightened as she regained composure and sneered.

"Good try," she smiled scathingly, delighting in its feral anger as she got right next to it. "But it's too late. DIE, YOU BEAST!"

There was a mighty, enraged roar before Naruto was falling, falling…

As the wind rushed by his ears and all vision of land faded away, he only had one thought in his mind.

Was he a good person or a bad person?

No.

He was not a person at all.

* * *

Hatake Kakashi, codename "Inu" was exhausted. He had just returned from a mission, and before he could even take a moment to breathe he was assigned to watch over the Uzumaki kid, seeing as there weren't any others left to spare at the moment. He found out quickly that the boy was with Yamanaka Hanako, her daughter Ino, and her daughter's friend Haruno Sakura on the Hokage Monument, as witnessed by the Hokage himself. So, without further ado, he found himself ascending the stairs and following the tracks of the small group. He made it to their picnic area relatively easily and, to remain unseen, kept to the trees and bushes surrounding the area. His eye narrowed suspiciously when he discovered that two members of the group were missing.

Where was Hanako, and, more importantly, where was Naruto?

After listening to the girls, Sakura and Ino, talk, he had learned enough to know that the pair had headed deeper into the forest, as voiced by Ino in concern. The pink-haired girl, he noted, also looked fearful for some reason.

At this, his heart began to pound frantically, though he realized the futility of this bodily reaction and hastily calmed himself. It wouldn't do to have his emotions compromise the situation.

With increased speed he tracked the pair through the woods, noticing crunched leaves and bent branches along the way. He tried not to worry too much, though his entire being froze at sudden words.

"DIE YOU BEAST!"

A great roar echoed out then, and he was overwhelmed by the fierceness of the chakra that washed over him in great waves. He knew it was unmistakably the Kyuubi's chakra…but why would it have activated now?

Unless it was trying to protect itself.

He hastened his pace, straining his muscles, as he broke the tree-line and stopped short. What he saw slammed all breath out of his body.

Yamanaka Hanako was standing on an outcropping, calmly looking down at something with her back to him. As if sensing his presence, she turned around and faced him. Her expression was haunted but resigned as she stared fully at him, prepared for the worst and resolved in her decision.

He returned her gaze, his body too numb to react at first. All he knew was that his mind was pleading in desperation, praying.

_No, please, not that! Please let the kid be alright! She wouldn't—!_

But his training was enough to tell him that she had. Even now, he could feel the remnants of her massive killing intent lingering in the air, a spike so huge that it must have been building up for quite some time.

"It's done," she spoke suddenly, quietly. At this declaration, her shoulders sagged and she seemed to shrivel into herself, the image of a beautiful woman giving way to a tired, old soul that had experienced far too much pain and rage.

He almost felt pity for her. Almost.

But he had no time to deal with her. Completely ignoring her, he sped toward the edge and glanced over, his heart throbbing painfully as he calculated the height of the fall. The ravine was so deep that the bottom was mired in darkness. He couldn't even tell what lay at the bottom of it. A river? Jagged rocks? Was there any hope that the boy had survived?

He prayed that the Kyuubi's healing abilities were enough.

Even as these thoughts raced through his mind, his eyes were perceptively analyzing how he would get down there for the body—

Boy, he corrected himself. The boy. He would find the boy, and he would be alive. But he would have to hurry.

* * *

Heavy…so heavy… What was this heaviness?

With the realization of weight came the awareness of his body, a numb awareness at first but then a painful stabbing one.

The pain! Make it stop! Too much! It hurt…_everything _hurt! But what did everything entail? Fingers? Arms? Legs? Head? Did he have any of those things? As far as he could tell, he was only a shape, a human mold of absolute pain.

Pain with every quick, rattling breath that his damaged lungs somehow drew. Pain as he recalled his eyes, and they miraculously scraped open. Pain as his fuzzy vision cleared enough so that, high above him, he could see the brilliant blue sky sparkling vibrantly. Pain as he watched puffy white clouds drift past, triggering sluggish memories.

He had watched clouds before… Blurry faces blinked in and out of focus…

Clouds?

No, _pain_! Pain! What could he do to make it stop? He would do anything…_anything_!

Stop the pain! He tried to shake his head but passed out briefly as he was engulfed in pure agony.

The moment passed. Darkness receded to blue again.

No moving.

But it was then as his mind slowly recovered that he became aware of something other than pain. It was such a welcome relief that, for a moment, he concentrated fully on it.

An influx of iron in his mouth… Blood… Pooling in his throat, getting harder to breathe… Blood…so much blood… Choking…

_Damn it kid,_ raged a voice, _Turn your head and let the blood run out of your mouth! I will not have saved you just so you can choke to death!_

Too much pain. That voice was right. He was dying.

That voice…the beast inside him. He _was_ a monster.

Maybe he _should_ die.

_No!_ the voice growled before growing silent.

He was glad the voice was gone. Now maybe he could redeem himself by ridding the world of this demon.

Maybe he had no choice. He couldn't turn his head, so he couldn't breathe. The blood filling his mouth would soon end him.

The irony. His own blood would kill him.

Too much pain. Why wasn't he dead yet? Why couldn't someone come to put him out of his misery? But no, that probably wasn't necessary. He was going to die soon anyways. Stars were already twinkling in his vision.

Why were the stars coming out already? It was only midday. It didn't make sense with the blue sky so high above him…

"Naruto!"

Another voice. Not from within…who? A friend? No, he had no friends. Family? No, he had none of that either. Then who?

Pain!

Maybe this was his enemy. Someone who wanted him dead. They would be happy then to watch him die.

"Oh Kami, no!"

A shadow next to him, darker than the sky… The brilliant blue was growing darker, closing in upon itself. Better yet, the pain was going away…

Movement, _agony! _Sharp, fresh stabs of pain! He could not see the sky, only darkness, jagged darkness.

No! He could breathe again!

"It's okay, Naruto. Can you hear me? You're going to be okay."

Empty words accompanied by more movement. The torture set him over the edge. He tumbled into darkness.

After an indefinite amount of time, he heard wind, felt it rushing by him.

Falling?

His body seized in panic as he awakened fully.

No, not falling…flying… White clouds carrying him…no, hair? Dog face? Dog with white hair?

Arms. Arms were carrying him. Fast arms connected to a fast body.

Flying.

Where?

Home?

It didn't matter.

He closed his eyes.

He was a monster wherever he went.

* * *

_A/N: So, what do you all think? I guess you can't say you didn't expect something like this to happen… Of course, what does that say about me, that my insane subconsciousness made me dream about someone (Sasuke, actually) pushing Naruto off a cliff? _

_Hehe yeah… *small voice* Please don't hate me… I'll make it better, I promise! Continue reading for Naruto's recovery, yeah? Yes? No? Maybe? Anyways, thanks for reading! Potato chips, ramen, tomatoes, and cake to all! =) _


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Okay, random but funny: The spell check on my computer wanted to change 'Sasuke' to 'Sauce.' I don't know why, but that makes me laugh, so I thought I'd share it with you lovely people! ;p_

_

* * *

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Chapter 6

Umino Iruka was normally a very calm, patient and understanding man. He was known for his clear-headedness in even the most distressful circumstances, and this poise suited him well in his current teaching profession. He did not anger easily, and although he was reputed as a fierce ninja, he always avoided conflict if possible. He would rather compromise than grow violent.

While these positive attributes certainly qualified him to be a teacher, they did not qualify him to be a parent.

The instant that an Anbu appeared in the middle of class, Iruka felt his calm strength drain away to a terrible sinking feeling that he couldn't explain. As he complacently followed the dog-masked Anbu into the hall, he tried to stabilize himself and think logically.

Why was he reacting like this? Maybe the Anbu had a special assignment for him… But then why did they interrupt him in the middle of class? Whatever reason the Anbu had to be there, it was an important one.

"Iruka-san, I have some bad news."

Iruka closed his eyes, feeling his composure shatter.

"Naruto?" he breathed, his voice strained with false hope and pleading.

"I'm afraid so."

Iruka barely breathed as the Anbu reported what had happened. The picnic, Hanako taking Naruto aside, a heated conversation and then…and then…

Iruka did not even process when he grabbed the Anbu and slammed him against the wall, his hand on the man's throat. He just suddenly found himself in that position, his heart pounding and unchecked tears streaming from his eyes.

"What do you mean you were too late?" he hissed in a voice he didn't recognize as his own.

"I'm sorry," the Anbu replied morosely, despite being partially strangled. "I couldn't stop him from falling, but I did find him and bring him back. He's alive."

_He's alive…he's alive…he's alive…_ The words echoed in Iruka's mind, making him crumple in relief. He released the Anbu and steadied himself against the wall, trying to control himself.

"He's…" Iruka wavered.

"Alive," the Anbu filled in, nodding. "As of yet, we don't know the extent of the damage. It seems that the Kyuubi was able to heal his most critical wounds, but he remains unconscious at the moment. We won't be able to establish how badly he was injured until he wakes up. He has also…most likely suffered some psychological damage as well, though we don't know how much or what was actually spoken between them before…before he fell."

"FELL?" Iruka roared suddenly, his voice carrying down the hallway of the Academy as his eyes burned intensely. "SHE—! She—!" Unable to express his emotions in words, he smacked his fist into the wall, relishing in the pain that enveloped him as it gave him something coherent to focus on. As his mind concentrated on the pain, he gradually calmed down. His tears ceased to fall as he inhaled a large breath and let it out slowly. He glanced up at the Anbu.

"I'm sorry."

The Anbu shook his head. "There's no need to apologize. I understand."

"_Do you_?" Iruka burst out all of a sudden, his voice laced with pain. He coughed and clenched his fists. "Sorry."

"No, it's alright. Believe me when I say, I understand more than you'll ever know," the white-haired Anbu placed a gentle hand on Iruka's shoulder. "I am truly sorry, but at least…at least he is alive."

Iruka nodded numbly, though he was grateful for the comfort. "Thank you," he voiced at last. "Can I go see him?"

"Yes, and the Hokage will be there, too. He is expecting you. I'll take care of your class."

Iruka swallowed heavily, giving the Anbu a meaningful look. He hadn't missed the genuine remorse in his tone.

"Thank you," he repeated.

The Anbu nodded and vanished into the classroom. Iruka was left in the empty hallway, trying to figure out how to regain his composure when everything precious in his life lay in tiny, broken fragments.

* * *

He blinked his eyes open slowly, surprised that he felt no pain. Even more surprising was where he was. It seemed that he was in an abandoned building that glowed eerily with a strange yellow light. The odd incandescence lit the area enough for him to see that he was standing in a corridor surrounded by doors on all sides. The only sound he could hear was a steady dripping of water from an unknown source, although as he became aware, he realized that he was standing in water that came well up to his ankles. To emphasize the place's creepiness, the water wasn't _wet_. It had no temperature, no substance, and yet it sloshed as he slowly walked forward. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, there came a deep growl accompanied by a voice.

_Destroy everything... Destroy everything that hurts you..._

All at once he felt an urge compelling him forth, leading him down the hall a little ways and then into a door on his left. The growls increased in volume as he got closer and closer and finally emerged into a dark, cavernous room. Before him towered a massive barred gate, attached at the center by a piece of paper with the word "Seal" written on it. As he stared questioningly at it, a giant, leering set of pointy white teeth and glowing red eyes appeared, with the rest of the beast's dark face mired by a haze of billowing red smoke.

Even though he knew what it was, he still gasped in awe at its sheer size and menace, involuntarily recoiling at the sight.

_So you did come, _the Kyuubi observed. _Maybe you are not as much of an idiot as I thought you were._

"What do you want?" he asked tremulously.

The Kyuubi's grin, if possible, widened even more.

_I have an offer for you, a very tempting one considering what you just lived through. As I'm sure you've realized, all the people you called "friends" were just lying to you. They were just pretending, waiting for the opportune moment to hurt you. Now, with me, you have a chance to get back at them! Seek revenge on those who have wronged you! Give your heart to me, and I will save you from the pain by making them bleed!_

He listened to the monster's tirade without moving, showing no reaction as the words washed over him. Though he wished it were otherwise, he couldn't deny that the Kyuubi was right about his friends…ex-friends now…or had they even been his friends at all? Seeing as they had kept up the ruse of making him seem human for so long, did they even deserve that title? Wouldn't 'liar' be a more appropriate word?

_Look what they did to you, what they made you believe! They don't deserve to go unpunished! Remove the seal! Let me free, and I will give you all of my power! Together we can seek revenge on those who have wronged you! RELEASE THE SEAL!_

He glanced up at the beast, at the threatening eyes that glowed with newfound vigor and purpose, at the snapping teeth and whirling red haze.

He already knew his answer.

"No."

The reaction was instantaneous. The Kyuubi let out a furious roar and lashed out with mighty claws that barely cleared the gap between the bars.

_WHY?_

He was calm as he stared directly into the Kyuubi's eyes.

"Because they made me happy. Even though…even though it was all a lie, I was still happy. Even though they hurt me, I don't want to hurt them. I don't need your help."

_You WEAK and WORTHLESS boy! Damn the Fourth Hokage for sealing me in a wimp like you! DAMN HIM!_

Ignoring the Kyuubi's rage, he merely closed his eyes and breathed peacefully, soon leaving the cavern within himself behind as he entered the world of consciousness.

The first thing he was aware of was that he was lying on a soft bed with a pillow underneath his head, and was covered with a thin, starchy sheet. The strong smell of disinfectant and medicine assaulted him next, and immediately told him that he was in the hospital. Further noises verified this. He heard metallic clanking, water splashing down a sink, squeaky wheels of passing carts, and hushed voices that sounded fairly close to him. Due to their deep voices, he assumed that the ones speaking were male. Were they doctors? But wait, that made no sense. What doctor would be discussing something in proximity of _him_, the monster? For surely they couldn't be talking about _his_ treatment! Why would they stand so near to him?

He strained his ears, trying to understand what they were saying, but he couldn't make out any specific words. All he knew was that neither had said 'monster,' 'demon,' 'beast' or anything to that effect, so they clearly weren't talking about him. He decided at last to ignore them, figuring that once he started to stir they would leave.

He opened his eyes, staring at the blank, white ceiling briefly before he attempted to sit up. Unfortunately, the effort caused him to whimper in pain and sink back into his pillows. His whole body still ached horribly, and the parts that didn't tingled strangely. A thought occurred to him:

Had someone tried to heal him with medical ninjutsu?

The thought stunned him. Someone had tried to ease _his_ pain? Did they not know he was a monster?

"Naruto, you're awake!"

He blinked and turned slowly, at last viewing the two whom he had overheard conversing with each other. One was a very old man in long white robes, and the other, rapidly approaching him with a watery smile, was younger with brown hair and a scar across his face.

Ah, yes. He remembered them. He didn't want to, but he did. The pain that surfaced then was so intense that all breath was literally jarred from his body. This wasn't physical pain; it was the agony of his heart breaking as memories stabbed at him. The man with the scar…he couldn't even say his name…he had…been so…kind…so kind…

He couldn't process anything but the bursting of his chest, utterly crippling him. His heart did not want to acknowledge that everything had been a lie. It was yearning to be embraced, to feel the young man's strong arms wrap around his shoulders and squeeze him tight, to tell him that everything would be alright.

But he couldn't. He knew the truth now. He knew that they had all lied to his face.

But that warmth—

No!

Too embroiled with his emotional conflict, he allowed his body to respond automatically, curling into itself protectively. He hugged his knees and buried his head within them, not wanting to look up or his resolve would falter. He couldn't let himself get hurt again. He was aware of how close to death he had come, and he knew that he could never again open up his heart if he wanted to stay alive. If that meant he would live out the rest of his life alone, so be it.

It was the only choice he had.

He rocked a little as weight settled on the other side of the bed. He felt a warm hand place itself on his knee, and heard the man whisper words in a kind voice. Why did it have to be so welcoming? He began to tremble madly, sobbing and choking and desperately trying to stave off the man's attempts to comfort him. He couldn't relent now or everything would fall apart. He really _would_ die if he gave in. He didn't have the strength to endure anymore.

Pain, so much heartache! How could he overcome this? Couldn't the man see what he was doing to him?

Yes, of course he could. This was all part of his plan wasn't it? He could hear above his own heaving that the man was pleading with him, could sense that he, too, was crying. He was a great actor, wasn't he? It sounded so convincing that he wanted to lift his head and fall into the man's chest, cling there like a child and beg the pain to stop.

But he wasn't a child anymore. He was a monster, and the scarred man only wanted to hurt him. The Kyuubi had killed his parents. There was no way the man could be so forgiving. This was all part of his revenge. Even the tears were another ploy…or perhaps they were real, in that the man regretted that he had not been the one to push him off the cliff. Either way, this man was out to bring him more pain and more suffering.

Having arrived at this realization, he did the only thing he could do to bear his agony: he buried it, deep, deep inside of him, so deep that all emotions were dragged with it. Now, emotionless, he was safer. He couldn't get hurt now. He could endure.

And he would live on.

He raised his head, his tears drying and his sobs receding into the recesses of his heart. He faced the scarred man blankly, showing no reaction as his dead eyes pierced the older man's gaze and caused him to crumple.

"Naruto, no! Don't go! I'm here for you! Come back…" the man cried weakly. He reached out and pulled Naruto into his chest, sobbing brokenly. "No, Naruto! Please come back!"

In the scarred man's embrace, he sat rigidly, feeling nothing except the man's tears dripping onto his back. All he could think about as he waited for it to be over was one question:

Who was Naruto?

* * *

Iruka slumped against the wall outside of Naruto's hospital room, utterly drained of emotion. It was getting late, but he found that he couldn't go home knowing that it would be empty, that there would be no smiling blond waiting to shout "Okaeri!" the instant he stepped through the door. He felt like this was where he belonged. It may not have been written on any piece of paper, but in Iruka's heart and in all extents and purposes, he was Naruto's father. He needed to be there for his son to comfort him in his time of pain and sorrow. He needed to be his pillar of strength.

Strength, huh? Iruka grinned cynically. A pillar of strength? Who was he kidding? After he had learned the news of Naruto's condition just that morning, he had thought everything precious in his life had shattered into broken fragments, though as he watched Naruto retreat into himself, he didn't realize just how scattered they had become. Naruto was beyond his reach. He had remained at the boy's bedside all day, praying, pleading, telling Naruto over and over how much he loved him. Naruto had just gazed straight through him with glassed eyes, an empty shell of his former life. It had broken Iruka's heart to know that nothing he did could get through to him.

Now, while Naruto slept and he sat in the hallway, trying to regain his sense of purpose, he wondered frantically what he could do. Should he be angry, seek vengeance for Naruto's sake against Hanako, who had essentially completed her deadly crime? She may not have killed Naruto, but the way he was now couldn't even be considered living. He was just…existing. Saying nothing, eating nothing, just sitting and staring blankly. Should Iruka let his rage control him? Should he punish Hanako for doing this to his son? While one part of him wanted him to let go, was bristling with pent-up energy just waiting for the signal, he knew he couldn't. He didn't want to stoop to her level in becoming a murderer.

Besides, if Naruto ever regained his mind, he would never forgive Iruka for having taken such drastic measures. Iruka wasn't sure he'd forgive himself, either, for he may have wanted it now, but in the future…who knew what the consequences would entail?

For now, Hanako would remain imprisoned until her trial. Iruka's discussion with the Hokage that morning had filled him in on what was happening with her. Apparently, not even two hours after Naruto had been brought in, the Hokage had commanded the Anbu to find Hanako and arrest her. According to the eyewitness reports, she had come willingly. They had found her enjoying the rest of her picnic with Sakura and Ino, though both girls had been noticeably frightened of her changed countenance.

Whenever Iruka reflected on this, he always felt his insides squirm fitfully. He couldn't imagine what poor Sakura and especially Ino had to experience as Anbu arrived and took away Hanako. Even though she had done a horrible thing, she was still Ino's mother, and Iruka couldn't help but regret that the girl had to be involved. No doubt she and Sakura would have to be filled in on the situation, and there was talk that Ino may even have to offer testimony at her own mother's trial. It was a cruel thing to force a daughter to go against her mother. By doing what she had done, Hanako had essentially ruined more than the life she intended. The Yamanaka family would never be the same, and Sakura, too, would not escape the aftermath of Hanako's decision. Not to mention all those connected to Naruto, namely his friends, the young and innocent children of the village.

Lives had been altered irreparably. Iruka wondered if they would ever return back to normal, if Naruto's eyes would ever sparkle again, and if the fragments of his heart would ever be sewn back together. Hope still existed within him, but it was a realistic and humbling hope. Things wouldn't go back to normal immediately. It would take time. An indefinite amount of time. And throughout it all, he had to keep himself from despairing. He had to believe that Naruto would eventually return to himself. He just _had_ to…

Iruka covered his face with his hands.

"What am I supposed to do now?" he mumbled despondently. He removed his hands and swallowed heavily. "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?" he shouted angrily at nothing, as if waiting for a response that would never come.

He was met with silence.

* * *

Over the next few days, he had many odd visitors. Not only did they look strange (one seriously had a pineapple on his head) but they talked strangely, speaking in gentle, soothing tones as if they were speaking to a hospital patient rather than an imprisoned monster.

For surely that was what he was. The day before, he had tried to get up and leave, seeing as his physical pain had receded quite a bit and he was causing quite a disturbance for everyone. Unfortunately, he had been yelled back into submission by a nurse who made him sit still as she jammed a needle in his arm. She made it quite clear that he wasn't allowed to leave as she shot him a glare and packed up her supplies, exiting as quickly as possible.

As abrupt as her treatment had been, he couldn't help but be comforted by it. _She_ was treating him appropriately. The others didn't seem to realize what he was, what he deserved. This nurse, at least, was aware of it and understood.

Of course, he did wonder if they all knew about the beast that he was. The youngest ones, a chubby boy and the pineapple head, seemed to think he was still human. In his presence they carried on normally, striking up conversations and hoping he would join in, offering him food, joking around.

He didn't know why, but this made him angry. Hadn't anyone told them what he was? That he was dangerous and horrible? Sometimes, in their throes of strained laughter, he wanted to interject fiercely, wanted to cry out that they were wrong, that they should stop pretending.

"Why are you so carefree around a demon like me?" he would demand. "Are you fools? Don't you know what I could do to you?" He would only be satisfied once the smiles dropped from their faces, for at least then they would be grounded back in reality.

Of course, he couldn't bring himself to speak. Too many things could happen. His voice wasn't trustworthy. Despite his best efforts, it could waver and belie all his attempts at detachedness.

Besides, he wasn't sure he'd be able to say those things. Part of him may have wanted to, but the vast majority of his being still maintained the position he had declared when speaking with the Kyuubi: he wouldn't hurt his friends like they had hurt him. He didn't want to make their smiles disappear, especially since they really did seem ignorant to his circumstances. It truly baffled him that no one had yet told them what he was, or at least hinted at it to avoid the stipulations of the law in place. Wouldn't it be kinder to tell them? Even though they would realize that it had all been a lie, at least they could then forget about him and go on with their lives. It was cruel that he had to hinder them so just because they didn't know.

Then again, maybe they were catching on by themselves. As dead as he appeared on the outside, he was still alive on the inside, though only for observational purposes. As such, he was not oblivious to their quickly exchanged, downtrodden looks, their forced words and laughter, their slumped shoulders. Although they always greeted him with a smile, it became more and more strained as the days wore on. Their visiting sessions grew shorter as lack of topics gave way to uncomfortable, unbearable silences. He knew that soon, they would stop showing up at all. That thought cemented his current course of action as he reflected that they would be much happier once he was completely cut out of their lives.

* * *

"Damn!" Shikamaru swore as he returned home from his latest visit with Naruto. The blond was as unresponsive as ever, and it was so infuriating!

"No luck?" Yoshino asked sadly as Shikamaru dumped himself across from her at the table in their dining room.

Shikamaru planted his face on the table and shook his head.

"Why can't I think of anything to help him?" he complained in a muffled voice.

Yoshino regarded him forlornly. "You're doing all you can, sweetie. You just need to be there for him, and not give up on him." When Shikamaru said nothing, Yoshino swelled angrily. "You're not thinking of giving up on him, are you? Don't you DARE give up on him!" she yelled louder than she intended.

Shikamaru started and lifted his head, frowning fiercely. "Of course I'm not giving up! Why would I do that? Don't accuse me of something I'm not planning on doing!" He paused as Yoshino calmed down. "I'm just…lost," he admitted at last in a small voice.

Yoshino swallowed heavily, knowing how difficult it was for Shikamaru to admit even so simple a thing. She made her way over to her son and embraced him as he hugged her tightly, fighting tears.

At that moment, Yoshino wished more than anything that she could save her son from this pain, but it was impossible. She knew she could do nothing. This pain he was experiencing was borne of love and friendship, and unless he was intending to forget Naruto, it wasn't possible to abort it so easily. And Yoshino knew her son wasn't the kind of person to make friends and then abandon them without a second thought. Sure, Shikamaru was lazy, but not when it came to his friends. He was loyal, caring and protective. He would never just cast them aside as if they meant nothing to him.

That was why Yoshino was so proud of him, and yet felt so hopeless. Naruto had become such a firm part of Shikamaru's life, had established a bond so strong, that Shikamaru would have to endure this pain, would have to suffer. It made her chest hurt just thinking about it as she filled it up with prayers that she could do something to alleviate her only son's agony. But she had already done the best she could, and she had failed.

She knew she shouldn't have taken Naruto's reaction so personally. After all, she knew of his past and could never blame him for something that wasn't his fault. That was why she was able to accept Naruto's initial fear of her due to her likeness to the abusive woman at the orphanage. Her appearance was just too similar, and it had provoked some awful memories from the boy, so it was completely understandable to her that he would react in such a way.

But the first time she had gone to visit Naruto, his reaction to her had been worse. Even though he had retreated within himself by that point, he was still able to respond enough to display absolute terror. The moment she stepped into the room with a warm smile, Naruto had let out an audible whimper and had backed into the corner near his bed, pressing against it so intensely that he literally stopped breathing. He didn't move for a long time as the group, including her son and Iruka, tried to understand Naruto's behavior and coax him out of it. But he remained plastered to the wall, struggling futilely to get as far away from her as possible. Worse yet, his face began to grow red and then purple as he stubbornly refused to breathe, as if fearing that it would give away his position. It was clear that he was utterly terrified of her, though his face remained strangely blank as it changed colors. The only indication of his fear, despite his body language, was the flashing of his eyes, the only reaction they had gotten from him in over two days.

As Naruto visibly grew faint, Yoshino and Shikamaru raced out of the room, figuring that they had set him over the edge. Iruka remained behind, trying to calm him. It took nearly an hour before the chuunin emerged from Naruto's room, explaining apologetically that he had finally soothed Naruto enough to get him to go to sleep. Iruka had then sat on the bench with them, trying to determine what had gone so wrong.

It was Shikamaru who finally supplied the answer.

"Mom," he spoke up suddenly. Yoshino just looked at him questioningly. "Did you put on perfume today?"

Yoshino frowned as Iruka gasped. "Yes, so?" she asked, not understanding.

"Flowers," Iruka breathed, his voice haunted.

Shikamaru grew shamefaced as he explained it to her. Yoshino's eyes teared up as he spoke as gently as he could.

"The scent of your perfume reminded him of flowers. And flowers reminded him of…"

Yoshino clapped a hand over her mouth in horror. "What have I done?" she cried.

It was awful to learn that she had hurt Naruto despite her positive intentions. After all, she had come to care very deeply for him and just wanted to help. Instead, she had caused him to regress severely. Even though he already wasn't eating or drinking unless ordered to in a commanding tone (which Iruka did only out of desperation for his wellbeing), Naruto stopped listening to them. For one whole day and well into the next he wouldn't heed any of their orders. Food remained un-eaten, water untouched. No one needed to say how serious this problem was, and before he got any more dehydrated, Iruka begged the nurses to help. Luckily, one grudgingly agreed on the Hokage's orders and gave Naruto an IV for fluids. Even as the needle went into his arm though, his face registered no pain. He didn't even seem to realize what was happening to him.

Iruka wept that night, utterly disconsolate.

Meanwhile, Yoshino sat, holding her trembling son as he attempted to bear his pain. She wished she could be of more use. At least Choji's mother was making the effort to visit Naruto, although she had as of yet met with no success. Yoshino, too afraid to see Naruto again for fear of hurting him, kept away and prayed that after her son's visits, there would be better news. Her prayers went unanswered as she sat in silence, reflecting miserably on the whole ordeal.

Naruto was only a child. That he should suffer such cruelty, at the hands of a woman she had once considered her friend, no less! Naruto had endured so much pain in his life…how could Hanako have done this to him? Yoshino was absolutely furious. She didn't even want to hear Hanako's counterargument at the trial. Not like she was attending. She didn't think she could ever face the woman again. Her husband was going to be there, and of course so were the Council including Danzo. It seemed that everyone even remotely connected to Naruto knew the scheduled date and was planning on being present. Yoshino honestly couldn't understand their sentiments. What was the purpose of attending such a trial? To hear Hanako out? Why did they need to understand the reasoning behind her actions? They should just mark it off as insanity, or evil. All Yoshino knew was that it made her sick to her stomach. How could anyone in their right minds wish the death of a child?

"Mom…you can let go now…" came Shikamaru's strained, breathless voice all of a sudden. Yoshino gasped, realizing that she had been so consumed with her thoughts that she had accidentally nearly strangled her own son.

"Sorry!" she said quickly as Shikamaru inhaled some breaths.

"It's okay," he mumbled, not looking at her as his face darkened.

Yoshino sighed as she abruptly straightened. "It's going to be alright," she promised him, hoping that her voice didn't waver.

"I know," Shikamaru answered, still avoiding her gaze. "I just need to think! I need to plan something…"

Yoshino smiled as she saw the gears start to visibly turn in Shikamaru's brain. Sidetracked, he stood up and headed vaguely to his bedroom, muttering distractedly under his breath. Yoshino watched him go, her heart swelling with pride. She had faith in her son. He would find the answer.

* * *

Sasuke stared at his reflection in the water, hating how he looked and at the same time unable to draw his attention away from those mesmerizing red eyes…

He shook his head and the wafting image of Itachi vanished.

He _hated_ this. Ever since Naruto had stopped coming to see him, Itachi's presence had grown stronger. Somehow, the eternally smiling blond had made it all go away, if only for a few moments…

So why had Naruto abandoned him?

On the first day after the picnic, Sasuke had been confused that Naruto didn't show up at their accustomed meeting time. In fact, he had been expecting Naruto to come earlier, seeing as he had been so excited about the picnic that he surely wanted to tell Sasuke all about it as soon as possible. Sasuke, for his part, couldn't care less about the stupid picnic with a bunch of stupid girls, but he couldn't deny that Naruto's excitement was infectious. So, he had waited reluctantly for Naruto to appear. Their meeting time came and went. He sat on the dock for half the day, stewing with emotion. The foremost was anger.

What was wrong with the idiot? Did he have so much fun with his _other_ friends that he was willing to ditch Sasuke? Or maybe the moron conveniently forgot about the time. He wasn't exactly the sharpest kunai in the bag.

On the second day when Naruto still did not turn up, Sasuke let his anger overwhelm him. Stupid freak! Idiot! Had he just been toying with him the whole time? How could he be so…so…infuriating? After only a few hours, Sasuke gave up on him, figuring that if the moron didn't want to see him, then Sasuke didn't want to see _him_ either.

Still, he waited at the dock the next day. And the next. This time, as rage surfaced in his mind, he let out a huge fireball over the water, relishing its crackling heat and power. Once it had dissolved, though, his mind was somewhat more at ease. He began to think of what he knew about Naruto.

For one, he was an idiot. He barely knew how to read and write, and he was absolutely terrible at taijutsu. Sasuke had delighted in knocking him down when they sparred, though he made sure to tell Naruto what he had done wrong to avoid it the next time around. Being such a moron, he really was lucky to have Sasuke there to instruct him! And, well, frankly…Naruto did seem grateful. He always smiled, no matter how many times he fell into the dirt. He was always energetic, always determined to get Sasuke back. He never gave up, never seemed to tire… Naruto had a lot of admirable qualities that Sasuke (secretly) envied, particularly the one involving his friendship-making skills.

After the…incident… with his clan, Sasuke had resigned himself to a life of solitude dedicated solely to revenge. But Naruto had opened his eyes to something different…something…wonderful. The way he cherished every day, smiled and laughed often, took one step at a time and didn't resolve himself to any kind of fate. The way he bounced back even after all he had been through and was still so grateful for those who were kind to him… It was a way of living that Sasuke suddenly found himself wanting. Why couldn't he have this kind of life?

The answer was that he didn't know where to start. The massacre had hardened his heart, kept it closed to everyone. He lashed out whenever people got too close out of fear. He said he wanted to be left alone, but in actuality just wanted someone to reach out to him and pull him from the darkness that threatened to swallow him whole.

Naruto was that person. No, _had_ been that person. Now, any progress Sasuke might have made was gone with his absence. Past anger, Sasuke could only reflect on what made Naruto dislike him so much that he refused to come back. What had Sasuke done, besides the name-calling and jeering? For Naruto accepted Sasuke's meanness well enough, if his smiles indicated anything. Besides, even though Sasuke had been cruel at their first meeting, Naruto hadn't given up on him. It didn't make sense for the blond to suddenly up and abandon him for no reason.

It was then that Sasuke had wandered into the village, and had heard the rumors…

Sasuke had run as fast as he could to the dock, breathing heavily as his entire being raged at the universe. He screamed out over the water, heaving as he let fly fireball after fireball, demanding answers. Why did everything he love have to be ripped away from him? Why did this have to happen to Naruto? What had Naruto done to deserve such a punishment? He was an innocent, stupid kid who always smiled and was always annoying…but he was harmless! Why would someone hurt him?

Sasuke was so lost and confused…was he not meant to have friends? Was this someone's way of getting back at him for just starting to feel happy again? Was it his fault that this happened? Did someone not approve of their friendship? What did this all mean?

It took two days before he was able to settle down enough to think rationally about the situation. First off, he figured that he needed to hear what really happened, and how Naruto was really faring. Maybe he was overreacting…at least that's what he hoped.

Once Sasuke realized this, he decided his course of action. He would seek out one of Naruto's other friends to see if they knew what was going on. He didn't quite know why, but at last he chose to pay a visit to Nara Shikamaru. From what Naruto had told him, Shikamaru seemed the smartest of the bunch. Sasuke could only hope that the boy was intelligent, for he didn't want to face a moron who would get choked up at the very sight of _him_, the "last Uchiha." He just wanted answers.

It was easy enough finding the Nara residence, though it took a bit more effort to just walk up to the front door. Sasuke was afraid that the Nara boy's parents might be bumbling idiots, stumbling over themselves in an effort to appease him. If that were the case, Sasuke planned to turn back around and seek someone else.

He took a deep breath as he rapped twice on the front door, waiting impatiently as he silently prepared to bolt.

"Yes?" came a woman's voice as she slid open the door. Sasuke gasped as she appeared, briefly recalling his mother, before regaining control of himself. Firmly clamping down on his emotions, he eyed the Nara woman with a calculating gaze. He was glad to see that, even though she had initially been surprised at his presence, as indicated by her raised eyebrows, she politely retained decorum. "Can I help you?"

Sasuke was internally grateful that she wasn't making a big deal about his presence. Maybe this Shikamaru could help him after all. He inhaled deeply before opening his mouth.

"I need to talk to Shikamaru. It's about Naruto."

* * *

_A/N: Hmm… I still need to figure out where I'm going with this! Up to this point I've been going with the flow, and it has surprisingly worked out really well (in my opinion). Now I'm a bit at a loss… So, although I can't say when the next update will be, reviews REALLY INSPIRE ME TO WRITE! Who knows? Maybe one of you will spark my imagination and the answer will come to me! _


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Hey all! This is certainly a faster update than I thought it would be, and you can thank the snow for that for canceling my work and giving me time to write this!_

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* * *

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Chapter 7_  
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Shikamaru was doing some fierce brain-storming in his room, trying to think about what could snap Naruto out of his depression, when he vaguely heard his mother calling for him. He rolled his eyes in annoyance. Would she never stop bothering him? He was doing something important!

"Shikamaru! Come to the door! Someone's here to see you!"

At that, Shikamaru frowned. Considering her ambiguity, he figured it wasn't Choji…or anyone that they knew for that matter…so who wanted to see _him_? He sighed wearily and resignedly headed out of his room, a bit perturbed that he had been interrupted.

That feeling abruptly changed when, rounding the corner, he came face to face with none other than a scowling Uchiha Sasuke obediently trailing behind his mother. He couldn't stop his eyes from widening, and for once in his life he was struck speechless. For some reason, his brain wouldn't work…it was locked into place the instant he met the Uchiha's stern gaze.

"Shikamaru…" his mother started, obviously also unsettled by their strange visitor. When Shikamaru didn't speak up, Sasuke cut in.

"Tell me what happened to Naruto," he demanded without preamble, his eyes flickering between Shikamaru and his mother.

Shikamaru's tension deflated as he realized that Sasuke really didn't know what was going on. He inhaled a deep breath as he braced himself.

"You…might want to sit down," he uttered lamely as he gestured toward the dining room. As Sasuke wordlessly walked past him in that direction, his mother bit her lip nervously.

"Are you going to be…?"

"I'll be fine," Shikamaru assured her, trying to figure out how to explain what had happened. He couldn't help but be nervous as he emerged into the dining room, finding it odd how uneasy he felt in his own home. It certainly didn't help that Sasuke was sitting rigidly across the table, just staring at him. Shikamaru found it difficult to see past Sasuke's harsh exterior as he tried to get comfortable.

"So…" Shikamaru began unsurely, trying to gauge Sasuke's reaction, though the Uchiha's face was stony except for eyes that narrowed as he grew increasingly impatient. At last, Shikamaru shook himself out of it.

"Sasuke, you're not going to like what I have to say. Just…don't freak out, okay?"

Shikamaru jumped into the story he had heard from a distraught Iruka what seemed like forever ago. Although he was direct and left out no details, he couldn't help but try to remain as calm as possible, considering the massive spike of energy coming from Sasuke's direction. The Uchiha was not taking the news well.

Just before Sasuke erupted, Shikamaru noticed a curiously emotional expression in his eyes, a feeling of pain and anguish mixed together. Something he knew all too well.

"What do you MEAN she pushed him?" Sasuke screeched, slamming his hands onto the table as he stood bolt upright, seething as he started to pace.

"Well…that's what I heard. They apparently talked beforehand, though we won't know what she actually said to Naruto until the trial."

"TRIAL? She's getting a TRIAL? She doesn't deserve one! She should be—!" Sasuke raged, barely stopping himself from punching his fist through the paper door.

"I know how you feel," Shikamaru murmured, his voice smaller than he intended.

Sasuke seemed to calm down at Shikamaru's mutual agreement, growing quieter at the look on Shikamaru's face. He swallowed his anger for a moment.

"How…how is he?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "Not good. He is completely unresponsive to anyone unless you forcefully order him to do something. He doesn't talk and…it's not good." He raised his head to meet Sasuke's eyes, and Sasuke saw true pain and helplessness there. In that moment, Sasuke felt his heart pang as it seemed that he was looking into his own eyes. It made the breath rush from his body, leaving him feeble and trembling. Suddenly he was seeing the boy he had been on that night, so broken, so small, so pathetically _weak_! It disgusted him, enraged him! He let the fire build in his stomach and burn in his eyes. His chest heaved as the flames infused his body, powered his limbs and gave volume to his voice as it ripped from him.

"Well what are you doing about it then?" he screamed suddenly, causing Shikamaru to jump.

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru retorted, glaring at Sasuke.

"You're just sitting here doing nothing!"

Shikamaru bristled, his frustrations boiling over. "For one thing, you don't know how bad off he is, and two, I had been TRYING TO THINK OF SOMETHING before _you_ showed up here!"

"Yeah right! You're not doing anything! You're not really Naruto's friend, are you!"

"He was _my_ friend before he was yours!" Shikamaru pointed out acidly.

"Then why didn't you stop him from getting hurt?" Sasuke demanded.

Shikamaru froze, realization dawning on him. "You're blaming me?" he asked in a small voice.

Sasuke heaved for breath, blinking back tears as he clenched his fists.

"No! Yes… I…"

"It's not your fault either, you know."

Sasuke gasped as he stared up into Shikamaru's suddenly wise face. He was so close to losing control, to breaking down in front of this…this stranger! He just couldn't!

"Oh, boys…" came a motherly, affectionate voice. Sasuke looked up to see Shikamaru's mother enter the room, practically holding her arms open for an embrace.

His heart ached terribly for his own mother as he abruptly burst past the woman and ran out of the house at a blistering speed. The ache didn't subside as he took a roundabout journey through town, heaving uncontrollably with tears streaming down his face.

What a stupid idea it had been to go see them! What had he really wanted to accomplish? That idiotic Nara boy wasn't helpful at all! And his mother was even worse! They just wanted to see him like this so they could pity him! They wanted to break him and then set him loose on Konoha for everyone to look down on. Oh yes, he was the poor, lonely Uchiha boy. What a tragedy! How sad!

Was anyone saying that about Naruto?

Sasuke halted in place as that thought trickled through his mind. Was anyone sympathizing with Naruto as they sympathized with him? Sure, he had heard the villagers talking, but only for the sake of gossip. Some of them even seemed happy that the blond had gotten hurt…

Guilt stabbed at him. Was he too consumed with his own problems? Of course, he knew the answer. Yes. It was loud and clear. It was why he spent every day staring into that damn lake. It was why he hadn't wanted Naruto to come into his life. He had no room for friends inside his cold, dark heart bent on revenge. He only had himself.

But he didn't want to be alone anymore.

Without thinking, Sasuke headed toward the hospital, reentering the town and not heeding any glances in his direction. The stupid villagers didn't matter. His friend needed him.

The receptionist at the hospital was a bit startled at his pronouncement. No one could truly comprehend why the _Uchiha_ would want to see that Uzumaki kid. But at his constant demands, she finally relented, though she stuttered away annoyingly. He had to give her a good glare before she shut up and gave him the information he wanted to know.

Silently, and ignoring all the looks from hospital staff, he made it to Naruto's room. He knew for sure he was in the right place when he saw a scarred man slumped in a chair outside his room. Naruto had called this man Iruka, and it seemed that the affection that had entered his voice at that moment was mutual if the man's appearance was any comment. Even though his head was leaning on the wall, clearly asleep, his slumber was by no means peaceful. His face was still strained, and Shikamaru's words came back to his mind.

Just how bad off was Naruto?

When Sasuke first went into his room, he was surprised to see Naruto simply sitting up in bed, staring at nothing. He didn't lift his head or acknowledge Sasuke's presence in any way. It was rather unnerving.

"Naruto?" he tried. No reaction. "Naruto? Can you hear me? Do you even know I'm here?"

Nothing.

"Hey! What's wrong with you? You're worrying everyone! Snap out of it!"

Still nothing.

Hmm…what else to try?

"So…you look completely fine. Why are you acting like this? You should get over yourself." Sasuke paused to chuckle cynically at his own comment. "I'm one to talk, huh? _ I'm_ still figuring out how to get over myself! But…you know… I'm…err… glad you're my friend."

Nothing.

Sasuke growled. "Shouldn't you be celebrating? After all the stupid stuff you did to be my friend? Shouldn't you be happy that I…I think you're my friend too? Are you even listening to me?"

When there was still no response, Sasuke started to get angry. Shikamaru hadn't been lying about Naruto's unresponsiveness.

"Wake up, Naruto! Hello? Why are you being like this, you stupid idiot!"

Sasuke began to stomp around, trying to control himself but already too close to his breaking point. He hadn't yet recovered from his previous episode at the Nara's home.

"COME ON! What's wrong with you? Are you just ignoring me? Come on, stop being so stupid, you moron! You freak!" he cried, trying to provoke him into doing something. "You monster!" He let out a frustrated groan as he spun around and left the hospital before he completely lost it.

Unbeknownst to him, Naruto had glanced up at the word 'monster,' visibly reacting for the first time in nearly a week.

* * *

Shikamaru, to his credit, wasn't that surprised when Sasuke returned to their doorstep only a few hours later. He seemed to have cooled down, and was truly remorseful as a flustered Yoshino once again admitted him into their home. After apologizing truthfully, blushing slightly when he confessed that he had unintentionally blown up at them, he turned his gaze upon Shikamaru. The intensity in his eyes revealed to the Nara that Sasuke now knew what they were up against. Tacitly, they came to a mutual agreement.

It was time to plan Naruto's recovery.

* * *

Why did they have to drag his daughter into this?

Yamanaka Inoichi knew _his_ role in the trial. But why did his daughter have to testify? Wasn't her whole world shattered enough as it was? He had a bad feeling that it was at Danzo's bidding that Inoichi was instructed to bring Ino with him. He wanted so much to keep her out of harm's way, though he had already failed to do so once. Even though he had had his suspicions about his wife, he hadn't imagined, couldn't even _begin_ to imagine, that she would go to such extremes. How long had she been planning this, and hiding it from him? Had she any idea of the repercussions of her actions? Their family would never be the same again.

Ino was a different person. Although he had tried to shield her from the truth, he couldn't keep it from her for long, especially when she demanded to know why her mother had been arrested. Once she knew, he had watched in devastation as something snapped within her, and she lost the light in her eyes. Sunken in agony, she withdrew to her room and did not emerge no matter what. She was lifeless, curled up in her bed, refusing all company. He was forced to turn Sakura away several times, though he could see that the Haruno girl was similarly distraught.

Ino's plight certainly reminded him of what he had learned of Naruto's own behavior. He hadn't yet told Ino the details of the boy's painfully slow recovery; he just reassured her that he was completely healed. He knew she was too fragile to help her friend at this point in her life, so he kept her safely secluded and away from harmful news.

He could image what Ino was suffering through. Betrayal being the foremost emotion. It was a particularly painful feeling, knowing that Hanako had heedlessly performed such a horrible deed on an innocent child. Neither he nor Ino could have foreseen these turn of events. Who was Hanako really? How much of herself had she hidden from them? Had everything been a lie? Who _was_ she?

"Ino? It's time to go."

Ino slunk out of her room, her face red from crying. Her hair hung about her uncombed, though she had made an effort to wear some nicer clothes. She sniffled a little as she hugged her father quickly.

"I don't want to do this," she whispered into his chest.

"I know. It'll be over soon. And Ino," he said, as he pulled back and looked at his daughter meaningfully. "Don't feel pressured by the Council to answer _anything_ you don't want to answer. You understand me? Minors aren't usually allowed, so they shouldn't ask you too much. Be strong, okay?" He squeezed her shoulder comfortingly.

Ino inhaled a breath and steeled herself.

"We'll get through this," he promised her, bracing himself similarly. "We'll get through this."

* * *

"Bring in the accused," the Hokage called. The silent chamber echoed with his powerful voice, and there were murmurs from the crowd as the Council visibly straightened in their high-backed chairs.

Inoichi, for his part, felt his heart beating rapidly, knowing what was soon to happen but truthfully dreading it. Despite his best intentions, he couldn't help but look up as his wife was brought into the room, her hands tied but otherwise free with two Anbu guards behind her. Though she appeared rather haggard and dirty, she held up her head proudly, ignoring the wisps of blond that swept about her face.

Inoichi was truly grateful that Ino was spared this sight. When he brought his daughter into the circular room at first, the Hokage had taken pity on her and had a chuunin bring her into an antechamber to wait until called.

Meanwhile, the room had begun to fill with people. On a raised dais and behind a solid wooden counter sat the elders on their designated chairs, the Hokage in the front and center flanked by Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane on either side with Danzo standing just outside the barrier. The rest of the village sat before them on mats, the outer rings occupied by influential villagers, and in front of them, shinobi from a number of Konoha's prominent clans. They all turned as one to watch as Hanako passed them and stopped before the dais.

"You are the accused, Yamanaka Hanako, yes?" the Hokage spoke up.

Hanako nodded stiffly.

"Are you aware of your crimes against Uzumaki Naruto?"

Another nod.

The Hokage sighed deeply as he nodded at Inoichi, who took that as his cue to rise and come forward.

"You are now going to be mentally probed so that the event in question can be fully illuminated to us all. Bring in a chair!"

A plain wooden chair was brought into the room, and Hanako meekly sat on it. Her eyes were watery as Inoichi approached her, trying to will himself to forget that she was his wife, the woman he lovingly married, the beautiful mother of his child. He tried not to remember all of their wonderful memories, all the times they laughed and cried together. Their mutual joy at Ino's birth and her growth over the years. Such a life they had had…such happiness…

But it was gone now. Inoichi cleared his mind and focused on his jutsu as he did some hand signs and activated it.

Hanako stiffened rigidly as his presence invaded her mind, and suddenly her eyes glassed over.

The Hokage leaned forward. "Speak. Tell us everything about your encounters with Uzumaki Naruto."

And in a monotone, Hanako subconsciously obeyed, relating every conversation word-for-word, reliving every moment. Partially aware of himself, Inoichi tried not to despair in the incriminating evidence his wife was revealing to them all. Her plans from the beginning that had festered within her. Her hatred of the Kyuubi and what it had taken from her, what it had driven her to become. How threatened she had felt when Naruto entered Ino's life, and how she had wanted to protect her daughter from the pain she had suffered at the Kyuubi's hands. How Naruto was not just a child to her, but a monster instigating rebellion.

Then came the final scene. There were actual gasps from the audience as it was at last revealed that Hanako had told Naruto of the Kyuubi, and the Hokage's face visibly blanched. Behind him the other elders were furious, but the Hokage quickly silenced the room so that they could hear the rest of what happened.

The air was thick with silence as, in a cold monotone, Hanako recounted her last words.

"Good try, but it's too late. Die, you beast."

At the Hokage's nod, Inoichi retracted his jutsu and Hanako's head slumped forward as she groggily became aware of herself. Blinking and pale, she glanced up at her accusers with hard eyes.

The Hokage cleared his throat.

"Now we must deliberate on this matter," he announced as the room broke into several different heated discussions, the foremost being between the Hokage, the elders and Danzo as they decided her fate. Hanako sat quietly as Inoichi avoided her gaze and reassumed his position.

As he sat down, he found that he was shaking and sweating, and as hard as tried not to think about it, the facts lay before his feet.

Hanako was guilty. And considering the fact that she had revealed the Kyuubi's secret…would she be killed? Just the thought of it made him grow cold.

All of a sudden, Danzo stood and the room quieted.

"May I have permission to speak, Hokage-sama?" he asked gravely.

The Hokage looked wary, but nodded.

"I would like to call Yamanaka Ino into the room."

There were murmurs from the crowd as the Hokage held up his hands.

"Please explain," he asked Danzo, gesturing for him to speak.

Danzo nodded. "Well, as you yourself were saying, the law in place regarding the Kyuubi's existence does not quite apply here, since it is the container itself learning of its prisoner. For that reason, you suggested mercy, did you not?" With confirmation from the Hokage, Danzo plowed on. "I would like to say that, though I agree with your position, Hokage-sama, I would like some concrete evidence to back it up. It seems to me that Hanako-san only did what she did to protect her daughter from a potential threat, am I correct? If this is the case, and the container was truly becoming close with her daughter, then we can justify mercy in her punishment." Danzo sat down coolly as the Hokage fought with himself. Some villagers raised their voices in agreement, and soon the chamber had erupted with noise. Inoichi was silent, pleading and praying that the Hokage would not do this to his daughter. But as he gazed up, he saw the defeat in the old man's eyes as even the elders seemed to concur with this logic. His chest fell.

As Ino was called, Inoichi was just grateful that the Hokage had removed her mother first, not allowing the two to see each other. For martial reasons, Hanako's presence might have tainted Ino's testimony, though emotionally it would have destroyed her. It was a small triumph.

Inoichi wished that he could have been the one to escort his daughter into the room, but it was not his place to break position. He could only watch in misery as Ino, nervous and trembling, entered the room followed by her Anbu summons.

"Yamanaka Ino."

Ino stared at Danzo in terror, seeming to shrink before his impending size. As he fixed his eye on her, she began to nod frantically.

"Y-yes, that's me," she stammered fearfully.

"Child, I know that this must be scary for you, but please answer this question honestly," Danzo said, his words hollow and fake. "Do you consider yourself a friend of Uzumaki Naruto?" The way he said 'friend' and the odd twisting of his face certainly suggested the answer he wanted to hear.

Inoichi could have killed him in that moment, and had to fight to restrain himself from doing so. How could he have put Ino in this position? This was cruel! Inoichi regarded the scene furiously and helplessly, trying to transmit strength to his frightened daughter as her knees quaked. This was horrible! Could they not see what they had done? Declare Naruto her friend, and her mother would be sentenced to whatever punishment they deemed fit. Danzo and the others who saw Naruto as the Kyuubi would then be forced to question Naruto's place within the village, and evaluate if it was safe enough for him to be fraternizing with children his age. Deny her friendship with Naruto, and her mother could suffer an even worse fate, seeing as she would have had no reasonable cause for her actions. Either way, Ino was betraying the woman who bore her and the boy whom she called a true friend. It was a situation with only negative outcomes, making it a matter of choosing between bad and worse. Inoichi wasn't even sure what he would choose in the end, and he was an adult. To make a seven-year-old girl decide was barbaric!

Ino, seeming to realize the helplessness of her circumstances, began to cry softly, making some of the onlookers' faces darken with shame. The Hokage, for one, looked on the verge of interrupting this mock-trial, but was halted by Ino's quiet words.

"N-N-Narut-to…" she faltered, drawing another breath and trying desperately to be brave, "N-Naruto is…is…my friend!" With a cry, she fell to her knees. Inoichi was beside her in an instant and didn't even bother to wait for orders. He picked up his daughter and exited the room, trying not to notice Danzo's satisfied smirk or the guilt-ridden expression on the Hokage's face. Nothing mattered anymore but the safety and wellbeing of his precious girl, limp in his arms as she succumbed to emotional fatigue.

As Inoichi carried Ino out of the building, he began to think of how to fix her fragile heart. Her mother was out of the question now, and it would only bring Ino pain to visit her in prison. They had to leave. It was the only way she could begin to heal.

The verdict was announced the next morning. Hanako was to be imprisoned for ten years. No doubt Danzo had had a large influence on such a lenient sentence for attempted murder. Unquestionably, the old man felt that Hanako was justified in her actions, seeing as Naruto was the Kyuubi, and she had been trying to do the village a favor by eliminating such a threat. To Danzo, Naruto wasn't human, so the case had never been considered a real trial from the beginning.

Inoichi kept the news of Hanako's imprisonment from Ino as they wordlessly packed their belongings. He knew she would find out soon enough on her own.

As the last of their things was loaded onto a waiting wagon, Ino hugged her best friend goodbye and the Yamanakas left Konoha without another word.

The only thing left in their wake was a flower shop full of dead and dying flowers.

* * *

Sasuke shifted, turning onto his right side. A second later he lay on his back, fidgeting and scowling as he felt the scratchy grass itch the back of his neck. He was still for a few moments before he turned over again. At last, he huffed impatiently.

"How is staring at the clouds going to help Naruto?" he burst out, propping himself up on his elbows to glare at Shikamaru across from him, who sighed languidly.

"I _told _you. I have to be relaxed in order to concentrate enough to form a plan."

"B-But that's stupid!" Sasuke protested, balling his hand into a fist and growling angrily. "Why can't you think of something RIGHT NOW?"

"Calm down, will you? You're ruining the mood."

"The MOOD?" Sasuke exploded, his whole body tensed as if ready to spring at Shikamaru's throat.

"Potato chip?" Choji offered cheerfully, completely ignoring Sasuke's anger.

"NO I DON'T WANT ONE OF YOUR STUPID POTATO CHIPS!"

Choji shrugged. "More for me then," he said, crunching happily.

Sasuke felt the urge to strangle something.

"This isn't getting ANYTHING done!" he pointed out fiercely.

"Well of course not! You keep distracting me!" Shikamaru retorted.

Sasuke inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. "How could Naruto be friends with losers like you?" he muttered darkly under his breath as he lay back down. He forced himself to stare at the clouds and let his mind wander.

Okay, so there was one that looked like a rabbit.

It was still there.

Still there.

Inching impossibly slowly across the sky.

Sasuke blinked.

It was still there.

Was it even _moving_? Could this be any more _boring_?

Not to mention boredom, but his mind was starting to drift away to things he didn't quite wish to recall at that moment. Repressed memories surfacing… Pain… sadness… RAGE!

"Are you done _yet_?" Sasuke demanded testily, hastily shoving away his negative thoughts.

"Hmmm…" Shikamaru murmured vaguely.

Sasuke rolled over and eyed him furiously. "Well, what does _that_ mean?"

"Well, what made Naruto the happiest?" Shikamaru asked the trio.

"Naruto was _always_ happy," Sasuke scoffed. "That's what was annoying about him!"

"Are you joking?"

Sasuke was taken aback as Choji turned to stare at him incredulously.

"No," Sasuke said a little unsurely, avoiding the chubby boy's gaze. "I've never seen him…angry or anything," he attempted to clarify.

"Angry, no, but sad…we've seen him sad," Shikamaru spoke up, turning to regard the group.

"Really?" Sasuke asked quietly, curious.

"He…he got beat up in front of us once," Choji admitted sadly.

"And he was afraid of my mom," Shikamaru added. He heaved a sigh.

Sasuke stared at Choji and Shikamaru with conflicting emotions. Part of him was angry that _they_ had seen Naruto at his vulnerable moments as if they were his most important and trustworthy friends. Why hadn't Naruto felt comfortable enough to reveal this side to _him_? What was so wrong with him?

Well, there he went again. _Him_. Sasuke was always concerned about himself first and foremost. Although…as he thought about it, maybe Naruto had known about Sasuke's pain and wanted to remain cheerful when Sasuke could not. For it was true that Sasuke hadn't been able to smile or laugh normally since that night… Perhaps Naruto had taken it upon himself to be his happiness for him. It was a sobering thought that made Sasuke regret his previous actions toward Shikamaru and Choji. He was so bad at controlling himself! He was just so…so _angry_ for Naruto's sake! If Naruto would be his happiness, then Sasuke would be his anger when Naruto needed it, for the blond shouldn't just let himself be harassed for no reason! He needed someone to stick up for him!

"Naruto was pretty happy at the birthday party," Choji was saying as Sasuke reentered the conversation.

"Yeah…he liked the presents too. Especially what Iruka-san got him."

"So, does that mean we should give him something like that?"

"Hmm…maybe. Or maybe just the whole party situation would make him happy," Shikamaru mused.

"Food," Sasuke cut in.

Shikamaru and Choji blinked at him simultaneously.

Sasuke blushed slightly under their piercing gaze. "Well…that's how he made me his friend. With my favorite food and all. And he keeps dragging me to this ramen stand in town—"

"RAMEN!" Shikamaru cried out suddenly, making the other two jump. "Why didn't I think of that? That's Naruto's favorite food! There's no way he could resist it! If we brought it to him at the hospital and he smelled it, he just has to wake up!"

"Yeah!" Choji agreed, his face glowing excitedly.

"Maybe we could have a ramen party?" Sasuke chipped in. "Since he seems to like both."

Shikamaru grinned as he and Choji glanced at Sasuke.

"What'd I tell you, Sasuke? It seems like cloud-gazing did you some good."

"Hmph," Sasuke snorted, trying to conceal his mirth. "Yeah right."

"Well, let's go talk to Teuchi-san and Ayame-san at Ichiraku's!" Choji declared.

"Alright!" Shikamaru echoed as the three stood up and headed into town. As they descended the hill, Sasuke glanced over his shoulder, reflecting on what Shikamaru had just said. Had cloud-gazing really helped him?

Suddenly he rolled his eyes. Was he an idiot or what? Cloud-gazing was a pointless and useless activity. Who was Shikamaru kidding? Quickly pretending that he hadn't glanced back at all, Sasuke turned his face toward Konoha and assumed a purposeful expression.

But Shikamaru wasn't oblivious to Sasuke's quick look over his shoulder, and smirked secretly in triumph. He was starting to see a little bit why Naruto was friends with him.

Besides, he was awfully fun to torment.

* * *

Haruno Sakura was miserable beyond belief. Her best friend had left Konoha, and her other friend was in the hospital and showed no visible sign of recovery anytime soon. She felt so alone, so isolated, like everyone had abandoned her. And why shouldn't they have? She should have known what Ino's mother was up to! She should have stopped it! And now she deserved to be alone…so alone…

To relieve her guilt she cried and screamed and pleaded, and her room accepted her emotions wordlessly. Now, as she stared at the ceiling forlornly, her mind blank, she heard pattering steps approaching and then a knock at her door.

"Sakura, it's been three days now! You can't keep moping forever!" her mother declared as she shouldered open the door and eyed her daughter meaningfully.

"But what am I supposed to do?" Sakura demanded in return, sniffling.

Her mother put her hands on her hips. "You're seven years old. You're not a baby anymore. There's plenty to do, but not cooped up in this bedroom! Go outside and get some fresh air! Find something to do! Now! Get up!" Her mother came over and tugged Sakura up into a sitting position. "Stop being so helpless! Come on, now!" With some more prodding, Sakura reluctantly stood and trudged out of her room and outside, if only to get away from her annoying mother.

The weather was truly beautiful. The sun was shining warmly, and the sky was a brilliant blue speckled with perfect white clouds. As happy as the climate made her, she couldn't help but sigh. So what if the weather was perfect? What could she do now? Normally, she would go play with Ino, but that was now out of the question. And Sakura wasn't sure she could visit Naruto in her current state…she'd probably just start uselessly crying at the sight of his lifeless form, even though she wasn't sure she had any tears left, considering how long she had wept…

Glancing back over her shoulder, she saw her mother frowning from the window and hurriedly stalked forward, not wanting another speech. Idly, she meandered through Konoha, gazing into shops, eyeing food at the market, trying all the while to think of what she could do. She couldn't wander forever.

The answer came in the form of a trio of boys…two whom she knew, and one who shocked the breath out of her body. Was that…Uchiha Sasuke? From what she had heard, and what she had gathered from furtive glimpses, this was indeed the last Uchiha of Konoha. But why would he be spending time with Shikamaru and Choji? He certainly didn't look like he was enjoying himself. His face was set into a fierce scowl, while Shikamaru only grinned and Choji just looked confused. Sakura found herself frowning. What was going on?

Her curiosity piqued, she gathered her courage and made her way over to the group.

"Umm…Shikamaru, right? A-and Choji?" she stuttered as she approached.

"Sakura!" Choji beamed. "Hey! How are you?"

"Uh…umm…" she stammered as all of a sudden she met Sasuke's eyes and words flew from her mind. She blushed as he scoffed and looked away.

"Sakura?" Choji insisted, looking worried.

Flustered, Sakura hurriedly regained control of herself. "Oh…I'm…fine. How are you?"

"Hey, sorry about Ino," Shikamaru said abruptly.

Sakura bit her lip and stared at her feet. "Thanks. But…I thought you'd be happy that she was gone?" she ventured shyly, staring up at Shikamaru who shrugged.

"Yeah, well…as annoying as she was, she was your friend and all," he explained.

Sakura shared a smile with him before speaking up again. "So, what are you all doing?"

"We're going to throw Naruto a ramen party!" Choji answered excitedly.

"A-all of you?" Sakura blurted, gazing pointedly in Sasuke's direction before realizing her misconduct and clapping a hand over her mouth. "Oh, I didn't mean—"

"Sasuke's Naruto's friend, too," Shikamaru filled in. "We all want to help him."

"You wanna join us?" Choji added.

Sakura blinked, trying to process this. Since when had Naruto befriended Sasuke? But that didn't matter. She snapped out of it and nodded, realizing that they were offering to give her something to do. She would gladly have accepted any assignment!

"Yes, of course! Is he…any better?"

"Not really," Shikamaru admitted.

"So you're hoping this will wake him up?"

"Obviously!" Sasuke snapped. "Why else would we be having a _ramen_ party? No one else here is as obsessed with that stuff as much as he is!"

Sakura gasped, hurt by Sasuke's brusqueness. She stared at her shoes, hating herself.

The group started to head off as Choji waited behind to put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"He doesn't mean to be mean. It just…always sounds that way!" he confessed with a laugh. "Come on! Don't you want to help out?"

Sakura was grateful for Choji's kindness and gave him a dazzling smile. "Of course! What are your plans?"

"We're going to ask Teuchi-san and Ayame-san to make a lot of ramen, and then while they're getting it all ready, we're going to buy decorations to put up in Naruto's room!"

Sakura found herself brightening at the concept. It didn't help that Choji was exuding a very excited aura which was rubbing off on her.

"That sounds like a great idea!"

An hour later, the hodgepodge group was standing in front of the hospital reception desk, their arms laden with all kinds of odds and ends. Choji's face was red as he puffed under the weight of numerous containers of soup filled with all kinds of ramen. Although Teuchi and Ayame had heard the rumors about Naruto, they had not known how bad his situation was until they revealed it to them, and before even blinking the old man and his daughter had set to work preparing the most marvelous feast they could for their favorite customer. They promised to visit during their break, and bid the group carry on their message of "Get well soon!" and other wishes of wellbeing to the blond.

While Choji carried the majority of the soup, the others were laden with bags of decorations, namely streamers, cheerful posters and noisemakers. These were all courtesy of Yoshino and Chiharu, who combined efforts to provide the children the money with which to purchase these party items. Their hopes also rested on the group's shoulders as they fidgeted impatiently before the receptionist.

"I'm sorry, but you can't bring all of that into this hospital. This is a place of peace, rest and relaxation, not parties! The other patients will not appreciate this kind of noise!"

"We'll be quiet," Shikamaru promised earnestly, though the receptionist's pursed lips seemed to indicate that she thought otherwise.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to leave those things here."

"But it's for our friend!" Choji spoke up, straining under the soup's weight.

"Friend?" she repeated, arching an eyebrow. She knew who they were coming to see, and glanced at the group more suspiciously now.

Their shoulders had just started to slump in defeat when Sasuke burst through to the front and stared right at her.

"Remember me?" he asked snidely. The receptionist gasped. Clearly she did. "Well, I don't think you want me to spread talk that you did not let the _last_ _Uchiha_ into the hospital, am I right?" he said, laying it on thick and causing the woman to blanch. He leaned in closer and narrowed his eyes. A dangerous expression appeared on his face. "And I don't think you want to make me angry," he threatened in a low, deadly tone, growling under his breath to emphasize his point.

The receptionist's lower lip began to quiver as her eyes widened. She nodded mutely and gestured for them to proceed. Sasuke gave her a nasty grin as the group marched through the hospital in triumph.

Once out of earshot, Shikamaru leaned over to Sasuke.

"Nice effect with the growling," he commented. "Quite impressive."

Sasuke just smirked at him. "I've had a lot of practice."

As they got to Naruto's room, they found the room and hallway unoccupied by Iruka for once. Considering that it had been a few weeks already, they figured the Hokage had finally talked Iruka into doing something productive and at least getting away for a little while to regroup. It was a sobering thought, seeing as the man closest to Naruto had made no progress despite his unceasing efforts. They were a little disheartened but forced themselves to perk up as they entered the room to find Naruto lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and practically not blinking.

"Hey Naruto," they greeted him as they spilled into the room and put down their bags. As Sakura and Shikamaru dug into the decorations and began to paste them up around the room, Choji and Sasuke were uncovering the containers of ramen and letting the scent waft through the air. Soon enough all of their stomachs were growling and their mouths were salivating as the delicious aromas reached them. Teuchi and Ayame had truly gone all out on this feast!

All eyes suddenly turned to Naruto, each boring into him, all of them tricking themselves into thinking that he was showing the least reaction to what was happening. The only thing that changed was that he sat up. Otherwise, he remained unmoving and oblivious.

Their spirits fell. Sakura, tired of giving up, inhaled and straightened. She put a smile on her face and continued hanging up the decorations, humming a little tune.

"I think we should get some music in here," she commented as she began to talk about what she had witnessed on her wanderings through Konoha that morning. As if on cue, the boys chimed in with their own stories, all but Sasuke exchanging quick smiles of gratitude with her. They opened the blinds wider, allowing the sunshine to stream in on Naruto's face as they placed some ramen into his hands and encouraged him to eat. They held their breaths anxiously as it seemed that Naruto was about to do something, but his nostrils only flared briefly before he was lifeless again.

The group was silent as their hearts dropped, when all of a sudden, they jumped as Sasuke stood and slammed his fist onto the table, nearly toppling over a container of ramen.

"This is so STUPID!" he exploded. "We spend all day planning this, make all this effort to come here, and NOTHING HAPPENS!" He glared pointedly at Naruto. "What's WRONG with you? Can't you see we don't want you to stay like this? Everyone's here, trying to snap you out of this and you're just IGNORING US! Are you some kind of IDIOT or something? Are you stupid? Can you not hear us, or see us? Can you not SMELL this stupid ramen? Why are you doing this? You freak! YOU MONSTER!"

At that moment, many things happened at once. Throughout the tirade, the rest of the group had been trying desperately to get Sasuke to stop. Sakura had burst into tears and was trembling madly, as if expressing the emotion that Sasuke couldn't. Choji, too, had started to cry and looked utterly lost and crestfallen. Shikamaru had just looked torn and sad, that is, until Sasuke stopped speaking and stood, quivering and heaving for breath. For in that moment, as Sasuke's last words echoed throughout the room, Naruto had looked up, and although his eyes weren't anything like they used to be, some life had returned to them. There was a presence behind them.

Naruto was back.

Shikamaru grew deathly still, and the others, noticing his odd behavior, quieted.

"Shikamaru?" Choji asked, his voice quivering. "What's wrong?"

Shikamaru said nothing, but just stared intensely at Naruto, who had returned to his normal detachedness. The group followed his gaze curiously.

"W-what's going on?" Sakura whimpered.

Shikamaru did not respond, but instead sat on the bed next to Naruto. The others stood with bated breath as Shikamaru spoke.

"Monster."

Naruto glanced up at Shikamaru and eyed the group before returning to the Nara.

"Yes?"

* * *

_A/N: Sigh. I love writing all of these guys together! I very much enjoyed Sasuke and Shikamaru together, because as I was telling my friend, they are natural foils of each other. I just picture them all cloud-gazing and laugh because Sasuke will have none of that, haha! I wish that all of this could have happened in canon…though not so much the whole Naruto-getting-pushed-off-a-cliff thing!_

_Thank you all so much for your wonderful, inspiring reviews! I must say that, while walking across campus one day, a great idea came to me, so now I have some more concrete plans for the rest of this story! So, YAY!_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Woohoo another update! Man, I've been getting so many new people adding me to their favorites/alert lists that I can't help but want to please you all! But hey, maybe more of you should review, eh? *wink wink nudge nudge* Anyways, enjoy this latest installment!_

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Chapter 8

Silence greeted Naruto's first words in nearly two weeks. Shikamaru, Sasuke, Sakura and Choji just stared at Naruto, utterly stunned. Nothing else was said for many long moments before Sakura leapt forward.

"Naruto!" she breathed, her eyes watery as she grasped his hand. Her smile dimmed when he didn't respond. She looked to the others in confusion. "Wait, w-what's wrong?"

Shikamaru, the first to realize the problem, could only assume a pained expression.

"Oh Naruto," he murmured sadly.

"What? What's the matter with him?" Sasuke demanded impatiently.

"Look," Shikamaru ordered them. He turned to Naruto. "Monster." Naruto obediently glanced up at him. "Naruto," Shikamaru continued. There was no visible reaction. Even Naruto's eyes were blank.

"He doesn't know his own name!" Choji spoke up in shock.

Sakura cried out, "But why?"

"I don't know," Shikamaru admitted.

"So he'll only answer to monster?" Sasuke remarked. "What about demon? Or freak? Or—"

"Stop!" Sakura yelled. "Just stop it!"

Sasuke only smirked. "That's the only way he'll respond!"

"That doesn't mean we should just call him those horrible names! They're not true!"

"Yeah, they're just mean!" Choji agreed, glaring at Sasuke. "We have to get him to remember his _own_ name!"

There were a few moments of contemplative silence.

"Is he suffering from amnesia?" Sakura wondered aloud.

Sasuke scoffed derisively. "He wouldn't remember _anything_ if it was amnesia. But he obviously remembers being called a monster."

"But why would he only remember that and not his own name?" Sakura continued quietly, trying not to let Sasuke's comments hurt her.

Choji, seeing that Shikamaru had been silent for a while, gave his oldest friend a knowing look.

"Have you figured something out, Shikamaru?"

The Nara's face was scrunched as he thought hard about the situation, but at last he shook his head in dismay.

"I don't think it's amnesia. But why would Naruto accept being called a monster?"

"Why don't you ask him?" Sasuke pointed out snidely.

Shikamaru's face darkened, not wanting to perpetuate Naruto's negative responses but unable to see another solution.

"Fine," he breathed. "Monster, I have a question for you."

Naruto stared eerily at Shikamaru, his face devoid of expression. When he spoke, his voice emerged in a dull monotone.

"Yes? What do you want to ask?"

"Why are you a monster?"

Naruto blinked at Shikamaru and then robotically craned his neck to scan the others. Seeing as they were all peering at him, equally perplexed, he cocked his head.

"You don't know?"

"No. Will you tell us?" Shikamaru answered, bracing himself.

It was quiet for a second, then:

"I am the Kyuubi."

The group reacted immediately, most of them bursting out in disbelief. Sasuke was most audible of them all.

"WHAT?" he demanded, his eyes wide. Meanwhile, Sakura and Choji were anxiously shaking their heads, while Shikamaru tried desperately to process this new piece of information. But no matter how hard the Nara thought about it, it didn't add up. There was no way that Naruto was the Nine-Tailed Beast that nearly destroyed Konoha almost a decade ago! It just wasn't possible!

"I am the Kyuubi," Naruto repeated, as if that was explanation enough.

Sasuke surged forward and, before anyone could stop him, grabbed a fistful of Naruto's shirt and got right in his face.

"What are you TALKING ABOUT?"

"Yeah, Naruto, you're not the…the Kyuubi!" Choji stammered behind him.

"You're human, like the rest of us!" Sakura tearfully insisted.

Naruto eyed them languidly for a moment before he reached down, lifted his shirt and revealed a tattoo on his abdomen.

"The Kyuubi is sealed inside of me."

Another round of gasps echoed as Shikamaru verified that the mark did indeed match its corresponding jutsu.

"I can't believe this!" Sasuke breathed, releasing Naruto to pace furiously around the room.

"Yeah, I thought the Kyuubi was killed by the Fourth Hokage," Choji added, his voice quivering.

"No, but don't you see!" Shikamaru interrupted them. "It all makes sense now," he added in a whisper. As they fell quiet, they all reflected on Naruto's treatment and his miraculous survival, and one by one, they arrived at the same conclusion.

Sakura sniffled and all of a sudden became fierce. "But it's wrong! Everyone's wrong! Naruto's _not_ the Kyuubi!"

"She's right!" Choji declared, his face growing resolute. "I've _never_ seen him even _close_ to acting like a monster! He's only ever been nice! And funny! And little…"

"Exactly," Shikamaru murmured in agreement, a frown still on his face. "So why can't the adults see that?"

"Because they don't want to," Sasuke spoke up in an eerily calm voice, his back to the group. "They use him as someone to blame for their problems. They don't want to admit that he's just a kid like the rest of us. They're fools!" His fists clenched angrily.

The others stared at Sasuke in a new light, recognizing his words as the truth. So then what could they do to repair the situation? Their shoulders slumped as they realized the overwhelming odds they would have to overcome.

"So now what?" Sakura asked tremulously.

"Well, we know his secret now. And he knows it, too," Shikamaru summarized.

"But…I don't think we're _supposed_ to know…" Choji added, biting his lip nervously. "Remember when we asked our parents?"

Shikamaru nodded. "You're right. We can't let anyone know that we know. We might get Naruto in trouble accidentally."

"So that leaves us with what?" Sasuke cut in testily. "We know the truth, but since we can't reveal that, we can't do anything about it! How are we supposed to help Naruto now?"

"We could go to Iruka-san," Sakura suggested. "At least…tell him that Naruto does react to something."

"That's about all we can do," Shikamaru acknowledged grimly.

Sasuke growled. "That's IT? Why are we always so helpless? I _hate_ this!"

No one could say anything to that. Silence reigned, and they all turned to Naruto who stared back at them with dead eyes.

* * *

The scarred man was talking to him again. Or, at least, he thought he was. It was hard to tell sometimes, since the man kept mentioning this other person, "Naruto" or something. But frankly, it didn't matter much. When he knew the man _was_ speaking to him, he did listen, though it wasn't very useful. The man was adamant on claiming, over and over again, that he wasn't a monster. He presented many interesting arguments that were especially surprising considering his knowledge of the Kyuubi. The scarred man appeared to have this theory that, just because the beast was sealed inside him, it didn't make him a monster. He claimed that he and the Kyuubi were separate entities.

My, how wistful a thought that was! This scarred man was either incredibly stupid (which he didn't believe) or completely oblivious to the way he was treated by nearly everyone else. This man's theory was just a theory after all, and only a select few people seemed to give it any credence. Besides, even if it _was_ right, majority ruled.

He was a monster through and through.

Eventually, he was released from the hospital. He considered it about time, seeing as he had already been completely healed for a while now. He figured that that was the Kyuubi's doing, which made him wonder why they even kept him in the hospital in the first place. Of course, who was he to explain the peculiar actions of people like the scarred man who insisted that he wasn't a monster? In fact, it was actually the scarred man who had helped him out of the hospital and was now leading him down one of Konoha's side roads. He wondered briefly if the man was taking him to a bad place, but then decided it didn't matter.

When they rounded the corner, his breath nearly froze in his chest. They had come to the Hokage Tower, and high above and beyond it, poking out from the mountain, were the faces of Konoha's first four Hokages. For some reason, the monument made him start to panic. In the back of his mind, he felt a strange sensation, as if his locked emotions were threatening to break free. But why would a rock be so terrifying? At this thought, he was better able to control himself and calmed slightly. Yes, he was a monster. Monsters weren't afraid of anything, especially motionless rocks.

"Nar— Um… M-monster? Are you alright?"

He stared up at the scarred man and nodded, internally puzzling over his own odd reaction. Unfortunately, that made his head hurt, so he banished it from his mind and concentrated on where the chuunin was leading him.

A little while later, they stopped before a modest building facing the Hokage Monument. It was two floors, with a shop on the first and stairs leading up to the second. The scarred man gently pulled him forward as they mounted the stairs and entered what was quickly revealed to be an empty apartment full of moving boxes.

"This," he said, pausing dramatically, "is our new home. While you were in the hospital, I decided to start searching for bigger apartments, since you're going to want your own room when you get older! Come see! It's through that door."

He frowned as he reluctantly followed. What would his new cage look like? Clearly the man wanted them to be separated, which didn't surprise him.

When he stepped through the doorway, his heart twisted oddly. Before him, arranged in pastel colors, was his room. His _room_. It was not a cage. It had a soft and fluffy bed, a dresser, a bookshelf and large, open windows that faced the Hokage Monument. As he stood there staring, a chilly breeze wafted in through the window and, shivering, he noticed something light blow off of one of his shelving units. Without thinking, he strode forward and picked it up.

It was a potato chip bag. An apparently _used_ one at that.

"Nar— Monster?"

He glanced up at the scarred man in perplexity before shaking his head and moving to throw it out. This man obviously didn't think he was worthy of anything better than garbage. But just as he was about to toss it into the trash can, something stopped him, something that abruptly made him shake and clench his head in pain. He whimpered pathetically as he slid down the wall and crouched onto the floor. No, he was a monster! He shouldn't be having this kind of pain!

"What's the matter? What's wrong? Naruto, are you coming back?" the man asked anxiously, his face full of hope.

As he looked up at the scarred man, he vaguely wondered what the man was hoping for. That he would stop being a monster? How utterly pointless.

He ground his teeth, fighting the waves of pain that assaulted his mind. In his hands, which were now fists, he tightly clenched the potato chip bag as if it meant life or death. An alarm blared in his head that told him not to ruin it, that this potato chip bag was precious, but he didn't know why. It didn't make sense! How could this piece of garbage be something important to him? Something in his mind threatened to explode, and he had to summon all of his willpower to stamp it out of existence.

When he at last regained awareness, he found himself hugging his knees, trembling madly against the wall. The scarred man was kneeling before him worriedly, his expression laced with helpless frustration.

"Are you alright?" the man was saying anxiously.

He nodded numbly in response. His gaze darted across the room as he felt his breathing return to normal, and was about to get up when he saw the Hokage Monument outside of his window. Involuntarily, his body grew rigid. Again, what was so horrifying about some stupid statues? This must be his punishment, he decided. The scarred man knew that the Hokage Monument would affect him in this way, and that's why he chose to move to this apartment and put him in this bedroom. The room may not have seemed like a cage, but it was one, if only figuratively.

He could almost imagine the bars on the windows.

* * *

Iruka cursed to himself. Had he gone too far? Naruto seemed so close to coming back, so close to an emotional response, but then it passed and he returned to his previous dullness. Though, Iruka did note, he did seem nervous about the Hokage Monument's proximity. Maybe it was a sign that he was progressing?

Iruka had hoped that this apartment would help Naruto remember who he was. Ever since a breathless Shikamaru and Choji had appeared at his front door and told him of Naruto's latest development, he had been trying to think of a way to use it to his advantage. Though he absolutely abhorred calling Naruto a monster, he had found it helpful at this stage in the boy's recovery. Now, at least, Naruto was alive, though he wasn't himself. Far from it, in fact. He was a mobile corpse without a soul.

Naruto just wasn't Naruto.

Iruka had hoped that the move to this new apartment would help restore Naruto's vitality. He figured that Naruto might react if he saw his own room and the precious mementos he treasured. On top of that, he expected Naruto to let slip at least _some_ kind of emotion at being so close to the Hokage Monument. After all, at the moment, the landmark was a place of bad memories for Naruto. Even though he knew it was kind of cruel to make the boy face his demons so directly, so soon, he couldn't help but be disappointed when the mask settled into place and Naruto's demeanor became blank once more.

Iruka sighed audibly and tried to recover from his crippling disappointment by smiling quickly.

"Will you come help me unpack some things for the kitchen?"

Iruka was a little satisfied to see that Naruto's gaze lingered on the Hokage Monument almost…fearfully. It was something. And Iruka believed that someday, the monument would return to its former glory in Naruto's eyes, rather than its current status as a symbol of pain. Iruka believed that Naruto was strong, and that he would be able to recover from this horrible incident and appreciate Iruka's special attention to the view outside his bedroom window. He really did believe that.

But Naruto was currently proving him wrong as they moved to the kitchen and began to unpack some dishes. Naruto was eerily silent as he un-wrapped some bowls and handed them wordlessly to Iruka. His eyes barely flickered when he handed them to him. There were no cheerful words, no laughter, no questions. Where was the talkative, inquisitive and excitable boy he had come to love?

It was like…Naruto was dead inside.

* * *

"I see," the Hokage exhaled wearily, rubbing his temples. He leaned back in his chair and sighed, all the while eyeing Iruka who was standing before him. "So, what is your opinion of all of this?"

Iruka swallowed. "Well, I'm not sure we can call it progress but…"

"It's something."

"Yes, it is something," Iruka agreed tiredly.

Iruka had just finished explaining Naruto's behavior to the Hokage, who had summoned him a few days after Naruto's release from the hospital. Iruka could see the toll this whole incident had had on the Hokage and felt a stab of pity for the man.

"So where do we go from here? He is still only responding to 'monster?'"

"Yes, Hokage-sama, though…he also reacts to variations of that. But…mostly monster."

The Hokage squeezed his eyes shut. "And has he improved at all at your new apartment?"

"There was a slight, almost imperceptible change when we first arrived and I showed him his room, but then it was gone. He's been the same since," Iruka sadly confessed.

"Do you think it was for the best that he was released from the hospital, then?"

Iruka sighed. "Well, Naruto is physically healthy, and now that he's somewhat responsive, there is no reason for him to have remained there. The root of the problem, I believe, is that he doesn't recognize his own name."

The Hokage opened his eyes and peered at Iruka, urging the chuunin to continue.

Iruka braced himself. "Sir, I think that, if Naruto remembers his name, he'll remember everyone who's ever called him by it."

Realization dawned on the Hokage's face. "Yes, that makes sense. The connection between who he is and his name…is a powerful one. I think you may be on to something," he said, nodding.

"It's just a matter of figuring out how to get him to remember it," Iruka mused, frowning as the Hokage continued to nod absently. Had he even heard him? "Hokage-sama?"

Abruptly, the old man's head grew still as he placed his elbows on his desk and laced his fingers before his face. He smiled in triumph as a glint appeared in his eyes.

"I think I have an idea. Fetch me a scroll, some ink, and a carrier pigeon."

* * *

It had been a long time since he had last been in Konoha. His journey had taken him far away from his hometown. He had heard many things, witnessed many significant events, and had just been feeling the ache for nostalgia when a pigeon arrived bearing a message from none other than the old man himself.

Unrolling the scroll, his brow furrowed as he read the contents. It didn't take long. It was merely an order for him to return to Konoha. Oh, and it was urgent.

As if the old man could _order_ _him_ to come back! He smirked and then burst out laughing, causing the other patrons of the restaurant to glance at him strangely. He ignored them, used to the attention, and stretched languidly.

Return to Konoha, huh? It had been so long… But he supposed he was due a visit. And if the old man was desperate to use his status in such a way, then maybe he really was needed.

Bah, he had been planning to return anyways! Tucking his notebook into his shoulder pack, he slapped some money onto the table and headed down the road, whistling a pleasant tune without a care in the world.

* * *

Time passed. A day, a week, and then a month since Hanako's and Naruto's deadly collision came and went by. Iruka and Naruto officially settled into their new apartment, and even had a tiny housewarming party hosted by the Akimichis for which Naruto was present in body, but not spirit. It was clear that the supposed progress he had made by becoming responsive was not progressive at all, and in fact, in some ways, regressive.

For Naruto's friends, they almost preferred him to go back to not speaking, for at least they wouldn't have to hear so hollow a voice echo from so hollow a being.

Out of all of them, Sasuke was by far taking it the worst. Although he had initially volunteered to be in the company of Shikamaru, Choji and Sakura, after some time he found he couldn't stand them. They annoyed him, and he didn't need them. Dreams assailed him at night, reminded him of his real purpose in life of not making friends but instead killing the one person who had robbed him of everything. Ironically, he became much like Naruto in those dark weeks, lacking energy except for when his anger flared. He possessed no emotion but rage, and soon began to not even regard himself as human but as the manifestation of vengeance.

Shikamaru, Choji and Sakura, not oblivious to Sasuke's downward spiral, tried what they could, but after some time found that they could no longer connect to him. He had erected too strong of a shield around himself that repelled them as soon as they spotted him. They could not reach him where he had fallen, could not hope to understand his pain. They had never been close to him but for Naruto, and without that essential link, they began to drift.

Shikamaru grew bored of his training routine and did everything he could to get out of it. Then, whenever he lay back on the ground to cloud-gaze, he found that it was becoming increasingly difficult to concentrate on just relaxing. Always, his mind spun, searching frantically for an answer that would bring Naruto back. For some reason, he felt that it was up to him to come up with a plan, and create plans he did, endless plans that he later found flawed and gave up. It was a ceaseless battle with his mind that caused him to grow agitated and stressed. He lashed out at his family in his frustration, snapped at Choji accidentally when the boy suggested something innocent. Shikamaru knew he was becoming a monster himself, but was helpless to prevent it. In his mind, there was so much pressure on his shoulders to think of the solution, to never _stop_ thinking! Many a night he passed with little sleep, the gears in his brain working fervently, obsessively, ceaselessly, in an effort he knew would just be futile in the morning. But he felt he owed it to Naruto as Naruto's first friend to come up with _something_! For, if he couldn't, what good was he to anyone?

Meanwhile, as Shikamaru battled his inner demons, Sakura and Choji found themselves becoming fast friends. Their similar personalities blended well together and created a foundation of mutual support that helped them in their time of need. In the beginning, it was certainly a tentative relationship, even an awkward one, but their combined passions were strong enough to get them beyond that point. Both of them, feeling isolated from their best friends, found solace in the company of each other. Together, they tried to live as happily and as normally as they could. They tried to smile and laugh and run and play, but it was hard. In an ocean of turbulent emotions, they desperately clung to each other and their families, waiting and praying for the dawn.

And the dawn came when he finally arrived.

* * *

At the Academy one morning, Iruka heard his students whispering a rumor.

"Did you hear? Did you hear? The Sannin's back!"

"The Sannin? All three of them?"

"No, no, just one of them!"

"Wow, really? You mean we could actually meet one of them?"

Iruka zoned out of the conversation and sat heavily at his desk, puzzling over this. He had heard similar tales in the market…could they really be true? Was this whom the Hokage had contacted what seemed like forever ago? Almost as if on cue, an Anbu appeared in the door with a message for him. The Hokage wanted to see him.

As Iruka tread the tedious stairs up to the Hokage's office, he could only hope that he looked okay. His appearance as of late had been rather disheveled. Constant worry about Naruto had caused him to grow thin and his face sallow. Fitful nights made his eyes appear sunken, and on numerous occasions he had forgotten to shave, allowing unruly stubble to dot his chin. He knew that people had noticed his pallor, and he had an inkling that friends had gone to the Hokage on his behalf to demand that he start working again, if only so that he would stop neglecting himself. He had agreed reluctantly, though now that he was back at work, he was glad he had gone through with it. The shining faces before him always inspired optimism within him, and hope that had long been extinguished was rekindled in his heart.

And as much as he cared for Naruto, being with the boy was emotionally draining. It was sapping out his life, slowly and surely, and although he was willing for it to happen, when he finally got a chance to step away from Naruto for a moment, he found the respite revitalizing. Away from Naruto, he could reorganize his thoughts, re-plan his goals, and stabilize himself. He almost laughed at how he much he had changed so that now, stability was something he yearned for rather than naturally possessed. How everything had turned upside-down!

When Iruka arrived at the Hokage's office door, he paused outside of it, hearing angry voices from within. Had he really been summoned? Unsurely, he knocked twice when there was a slight decrease in volume, and then he clearly heard the Hokage's voice beckoning him inside.

Iruka timidly entered the office and the first thing he noticed was the Hokage's other visitor.

The rumor was true.

The legend of the Sannin had painted Jiraiya in a fierce light, and his red face, glaring eyes and jutting white hair certainly emphasized that image.

"Ah, Iruka. Thank you for coming," the Hokage began pleasantly, albeit a bit breathlessly, "I was just having a chat with my student—"

"A CHAT?" Jiraiya exploded. "I've been gone for so long and I get a summons to come back only to find out that Naruto was _pushed off a cliff_? And that he's still 'emotionally unstable?' How could you let this happen to Minato's son? Do you honor the Fourth at all?"

"Of course I do!" the Hokage sputtered angrily. "And you can blame me all you want, but it won't accomplish anything! I called you here so that you could help! Maybe you could get through to him!"

"But this shouldn't have happened in the first place!" Jiraiya protested, stomping his foot. He turned to glare accusingly at Iruka. "I thought you were taking care of him!"

Iruka, still reeling from the revelation of Naruto's father, nonetheless felt an urge compelling him to defend himself.

"We _were_ taking care of him! He had made friends, and was happy! We didn't _know_ this would happen!"

At this Jiraiya's anger abruptly faded as he grew introspective. There was silence, and then: "I should've been here. I'm his godfather."

The Third Hokage went to Jiraiya and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't blame yourself. It's pointless. It's already happened, and we can't change that. What we _can_ change is how we help Naruto now."

"You obviously have something in mind," the Toad Sage commented shrewdly.

The Hokage nodded. "Yes, it was something that occurred to me when I was speaking with Iruka a while back." The pair turned to stare at Iruka, who was lost in thought.

"I'm sorry, sir, but…the Fourth Hokage was Naruto's father?" he burst out incredulously. "And you're his godfather?" He faced Jiraiya and the Hokage in confusion.

"Yes. I thought it best that not too many people know," the Hokage explained.

"But Naruto doesn't even know?" Iruka cried, scandalized.

"How do you think he'd react to learning that _his own father_ sealed that damn fox inside of him?" Jiraiya cut in.

Iruka shook his head. "He'd be shocked, a little betrayed at first, but Naruto would forgive him. He's wanted to know about his parents all his life. How could that secret be kept from him? It's cruel! He would be ecstatic to learn that his father was the Hokage! You know, it's his dream to become one himself!" Iruka's voice rose in indignation as he began to pace furiously. The former teacher and student were numb with shock, obviously having not realized how significantly Naruto had changed.

"You think he would accept Minato as his father?" Jiraiya asked, stepping forward.

Iruka at last halted and sighed. "Yes, I think he would. I've lived with him long enough to know for sure, and I believe he deserves to know this information. It could help him come back." He raised his head and stared at the two meaningfully.

The Hokage was nodding. "That's what I figured, to be honest, and that's why I called you back, Jiraiya. I believe it's time Naruto learns about his origins."

* * *

It was later that day when a knock finally sounded on the door. Iruka looked up from his newspaper and padded softly through the kitchen to admit Jiraiya to his residence. In the dim light of the setting sun, the man appeared even more imposing, and Iruka hoped that Naruto wouldn't be frightened by him. He stepped aside as Jiraiya brushed by him.

"So this is where you live, huh? How's the kid?"

"The same," Iruka replied. "The Anbu that watched him today said that he just remained in his room, as always, just staring at the Hokage Monument. He did eat a little, though."

The Sannin swallowed guiltily in the silence that followed. "I should've been there for him…" he whispered.

Iruka said nothing out of sheer politeness, though he felt much the same way considering that he was Naruto's godfather and had essentially abandoned him.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" Iruka offered once the moment had passed.

Jiraiya inhaled, bracing himself. "No. I think I owe it to him to go in alone."

Iruka nodded in understanding. "I'm here if you need me."

Jiraiya gave him a grateful smile before striding forward to knock gently on Naruto's door. When he received no reply, he simply opened it and entered quietly. He found Naruto sitting on his bed, his gaze out the window.

"Naruto?" he called softly. There was no response. He frowned. "Monster?"

As Naruto turned to face him, Jiraiya had to contain himself. Naruto was so much the spitting image of his father that Jiraiya wanted to exclaim in surprise and rush forward to hug the boy and beg his forgiveness. The only perceptible difference was his eyes. Although they were the same brilliant blue, the telltale spark of life was missing from them. As that blank gaze pierced him, Jiraiya felt as if he had been kicked in the gut. So many regrets came flooding to him in that moment, and he had to stubbornly push them away and remind himself of his mission.

He may not have been there for Naruto when he needed him, but he would be there now. He had to do this for Naruto. No, not just Naruto—everyone _connected_ to Naruto in the sinuous ties of friendship, family and love. The links had grown fragile, and it was up to him to fix them. Jiraiya swore he wouldn't let them down.

The bonds would be solid once more.

He went and carefully sat on the edge of Naruto's bed, placing a book onto his lap.

"Mind if I read you a story?" he asked in a purposefully light tone.

Naruto said nothing for a long while. Then, he cocked his head.

"Why?"

This simple question broke Jiraiya's heart. He had to compose himself before smiling.

"Why do I want to read this story to you? Let's just say that you may call yourself a monster, but I know you by a different name. Do you want to know about the name you were given by your parents?"

Involuntarily, Naruto's mask shattered as he uttered a tiny gasp. For a second, his face perfectly reflected the yearning of all orphans to know who they are, but then he scrambled frantically and replaced his expression with the blank mask.

Internally, Jiraiya cheered in success.

He opened the book and boomed out in triumph:

"_**The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi,**_ as written by me long ago…_"_

_

* * *

_

_A/N: How many of you guessed that it would be Jiraiya? A part of me wanted to end on a cliffhanger just so I could hear all of your frantic guessing, but then this chapter would be insanely short. I realize that it was probably obvious though… ^^;;_

_And I must say I'm surprised I was able to update so fast! I've been insanely busy and last night I decided to screw my homework and type this out…until about 2 o'clock in the morning. Haha! I was on a roll that I didn't want to stop, but then I at last forced myself to sleep and put the finishing touches on this chapter just now! _

_Please review, my darling readers! I love to hear from you! _

_And just to give you a head's up, the next update may not come so soon. The only break I have coming up will be occupied by my class's trip to Japan! I'M SO EXCITED! Understandably, I won't have much time to write though, haha! So, be patient with me! _


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for being so patient with me! My trip to Japan went great, though I think I'm still jet-lagging a bit…or maybe that's just from school again… Oh well! I managed to crank this one out quickly, since I knew so many of you were anxious for an update! So, here it is! Hope it's everything you wanted and more!_

_

* * *

_

Chapter 9

_The Konoha shinobi gasped for breath as he hid behind the tree. He quickly dug a couple of smoke bombs out of his pouch and threw them in the direction of the enemy shinobi. The two of them exchanged kunai blows in the smoke, but they were deflected. The Konoha shinobi ended up on his hands and knees while his foe towered over him on the tree branch._

"_Give it up," said the enemy ninja._

"_Can I say one thing?" asked the man from Konoha, starting to stand up._

"_I don't want to hear it! Now die!" The enemy shinobi slammed him into the trunk of the tree._

"_You should give up…" said the kage bunshin before disappearing in a puff of white smoke. The enemy shinobi blinked in shock as he sensed a presence behind him, which said, "…on trying to make me give up!" He struck the enemy shinobi in the back, making him fall down on the branch._

"_Even if you kill me," the downed shinobi grunted, "another assassin will attack the village…" He chuckled. "There will be no peace…as long as we live in this accursed world of ninja."_

_The Konoha shinobi paused, and then stated, "Then…I will break that curse. If there's such a thing as peace, I will find it! I won't give up!"_

"_Wh-Who are you?" asked the enemy shinobi in awe._

"_My name is…"_

_

* * *

_

"…Naruto," the old man finished, closing the book with a snap and looking at him expectantly.

Unaware that he was doing so, he released the breath he had been holding. He was surprised to find himself trembling and desperately trying to relive every moment of the story, for it was unlike any story he had ever heard. For some reason, it was different from the ones the scarred man had read to him, but the question was, why? Why was he so mesmerized by every word that leapt from this strange, old man's tongue? Why was this story suddenly so important to him?

This name, "Naruto" seemed strangely familiar to him somehow. Blurry faces with mouths that called this name flashed through his mind, faces he thought he recognized. But their names…what were their names? What was _his_ name? Was his name Naruto? But wait…wasn't he just a nameless monster?

For some reason, that thought did not depress him. Now, he was just confused and excited. After all, this old man before him had known his parents. _His parents._ In all his dreams and his lonely musings he had imagined them, his faceless but loving parents who would cradle him, rock him to sleep and wipe away his tears. He had always wondered who they were. When he was younger, he had asked Mama-san about them, but she had simply spit at him and told him that he was a monster and so were his parents. In a rage he had flown at her and she had punished him by locking him in a closet. There, huddled to himself in the stifling darkness, he had cried himself to sleep, smiling finally when warm presences appeared in his mind and embraced him, whispering that they loved him.

To be loved… But no, more than that. Questions. How? Where? _Why_? Why did they leave him? Were they still alive? Did they think about him at all? Did they want him? Had they ever wanted him, or was he truly the monstrous burden everyone claimed he was?

There was so much pain in those thoughts, so much yearning that it made his chest ache knowing that answers would forever be denied to him.

He was so alone.

And he didn't even know who he was.

"Your father loved this story," the man was saying, he abruptly noticed. "I don't really know why, seeing as it's not my best work… I don't know what he saw in it, but he liked it best." He smiled, making the paint on his face stretch oddly. "When your mother was pregnant with you, they were trying to think of names for you, and they turned to this." He held up the book and eyed it wistfully, his eyes glazing as he became lost in thought.

"I loved your father," he spoke up after awhile in a new, choked voice. "He was a son to me. Sure, we started as master and apprentice, but after a time…" He swallowed guiltily before smiling. "We were all so happy when we learned about you. Your parents practically glowed with joy. They spent every waking moment thinking of you, wondering what you would look like and who you would be. They knew you would follow in their footsteps and be a ninja, but they fought over what kind of specialist you would be, and what element would be your strongest!" At this he chuckled. "They went out and bought you all sorts of toys, painted your room, filled it with everything you could possibly need! Never were their more devoted parents before their child was even born!" Laughing nostalgically, the man turned to face him directly.

"Do you want to know their names?"

The whimper escaped him before he could stop himself, and the old man plowed on.

"Your mother's name was Uzumaki Kushina, from the Land of Whirlpools. Ah, she was a beauty! Long red hair, piercing gray eyes and a figure to match. I must say I was jealous that your dad picked her up!" he chuckled. "On top of that, she was a fantastic ninja. Always full of determination to bring peace to this world since she had constantly been embroiled in war. That was actually how she met your father, Namikaze Minato, on a peace-keeping mission. Apparently, she detested him at first. He was too calm for her tastes, too perceptive. He annoyed her with his clarity and vision, and she was a bit too stubborn to admit his talent. That all changed one day when he stopped her from doing something she would have regretted. She saw him clearly for the first time that day, and they fell in love." As the man grew silent, a pained look contorted his features and he hesitated.

At last came the words:

"Your father…was the Fourth Hokage."

As the man's words washed over him, he felt his heart grow cold. The warmth seeping into him at learning of his parents froze in horror and then shattered utterly. He didn't know whether he wanted to scream or cry. All he could hear were _her_ words, repeating viciously as she sneered in his memory.

"_The Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to seal the Kyuubi into a child who happened to be born on the day in question. That day was October 10."_

The truth. The unbearable truth that seemed to sever every fiber of his being. His dreams as a child went up in smoke as hope withered and died in his soul. He couldn't believe it. He was stunned.

His own father had turned him into a monster. His _own father_ turned him into a monster. He had never been loved…

The tears burned his face as he fisted his hands in his hair and began to pull harshly, ripping and shredding his hair and making his scalp bleed. But no, that pain wasn't enough to drown the terrible feeling overwhelming him. He needed to do something more! He tried to bite his tongue, rake his fingernails over his skin, anything, but nothing worked!

The man was trying to stop him from hurting himself, but he easily flung him off as he stared around in despair before lunging under his bed and curling into a ball at the far corner, away from prying hands. This was where he would remain until he died. He hoped they would all leave him alone. Oh, but why hadn't he died that time? He should have. He wished he had. Hanako was right about him. He should have known that no one had ever wanted him. No one cared about him…

Faces again appeared in his mind, shouting to him.

"Naruto!" they called. "Naruto!"

He tried to clamp his hands over his ears, but the voices only grew louder.

"Naruto! Come back!"

Who were they? Why were they so persistent? How could they possibly care about him? No one cared about him!

Then why had his parents put so much effort into loving him before he was born?

His breath hitched. Something didn't make sense. This man claimed that his parents had loved him, and yet his father had still turned him into a monster… Surely this old man was lying to him then! But no, he was saying something, kneeling down and peering at him, pleading…

"Naruto, come out! Look, I know that must've come as a shock to you, but I want you to know that your father never intended for what happened to happen! He didn't want to seal the Kyuubi inside his own son! But when the time came, he had to make a difficult decision. He was the Hokage, and he had to protect the villagers. You understand that, don't you? Didn't you want to be Hokage once? You know that it is their responsibility to defend their villages, right? You have to know, too, how badly your father wished there had been another choice! But it happened so suddenly… Naruto, he didn't want to do it! Believe me! I know that he cried as he was performing the jutsu. He didn't care about giving up his own life – he was upset at what he was doing to you! But it was the only way. Please, understand!"

He didn't want to hear what the man was saying, and yet he clung to every word. Yes, he remembered his silly dream about becoming Hokage… How odd that it should return so quickly to his mind… He knew that Hokages were supposed to protect their people, so what this old man was saying made sense…

But no! He was lying! He had to be! He…had to be…right?

"Naruto!" the voices called again. Their faces became clearer in his mind, less blurry and more detailed. He knew them all, could feel their names on the tip of his tongue…

But he just couldn't give in! Not when he was still a monster! He could _hurt_ them, and then what? Then they would abandon him, and he'd be in the same place as he was now. What good would it be for him to return to the world when he would only be a threat to everyone's peace and wellbeing? He was dangerous…he should stay away…

"Naruto!" This time it was the old man again, though his voice had grown angry. "Why are you doing this? You're going against everything your parents believed in! They thought you would be kind, brave and strong. They would be outraged at your behavior now, cowering under your bed, hiding!" He practically spat the last word. "Your father, for one, didn't think you would let the monster take over you. He had faith that you would overcome it, and remain your own person! But you're weaker than he thought. Naruto!" his voice became strangled in his frustration and helplessness. "You can't let the monster win. You just can't! You're better than this! _I_ have faith in you, that you can beat this! But you have to come out and let us help you! Please!"

The man was right. He _was_ weak, pathetic. But was he letting the monster take over him? Those times when his vision had become red…he had felt a power beyond belief overwhelm him. He thought that that had been the Kyuubi…? But at this moment, he felt none of that all-consuming energy. He just felt his tiny body, shivering in his frame, rattling his bones. This _was_ him. Why did the man think he was letting the Kyuubi win? Clearly _he_ was still in control! So why…?

Then it came to him in a rush of blood to the head. The scarred man, no, Iruka! He had told him something once, what seemed like a long time ago… Something about choices, about _him _being the one who could decide if he was a monster or not, that he could _choose_ his own fate instead of letting it choose for him. He could be a monster if he wanted to be, or he could choose…

To live.

Hours passed. The man left in a hurry and no one had come in to disturb him, for which he was grateful. There were still too many things to process, but now…now he knew the truth. And little by little, he was letting his memories return and slowly, very slowly, unlocking his emotions. It was hard. At one point, he found himself sobbing hysterically when he didn't even know why. At another, he was so angry that he smashed his fist into the wall and barely felt the pain, only registering its rapid healing.

Things were getting back into perspective. The faces had names that he could recite out loud, which, in fact, he did. Hearing his own voice, quivering but present all the same, brought him at last to the realization that, after everything he had endured, all of the pain, he had at least something to give him comfort.

A name.

His name was Uzumaki Naruto. His mother was Uzumaki Kushina, and his father, the Fourth Hokage, was Namikaze Minato. He had friends — Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Sakura, Inu-san, Ramen-ojii-san and Ramen-onee-san, Old Man Hokage, Nara Shikaku and Yoshino, Akimichi Choza and Chiharu — who accepted him. And on top of that, on top of everything, he had a family. Iruka, his teacher, his father, his hero. Iruka, the scarred man who had taken him into his home and filled it with love, who had made Naruto feel like he belonged somewhere and would never again despair.

Oh, Iruka. He had let him down. He had caused the older man so much grief… How could he face him? But suddenly, he didn't want to be alone anymore. He wanted those warm arms to envelope him and hug him close. He wanted to breathe in Iruka's scent as he buried his face in his chest. He wanted _his father_.

Slowly, Naruto crept out from under the bed, stretching his stiff muscles and trying to wipe off the tears and mucus from his face. He figured that he really looked like a mess. As he shakily stood, he turned to see that dawn had arrived, and the sun was peeking up over the horizon, shedding some light on the Hokage Monument. In the sun's dim rays, Naruto made out the visage of his father and stood for a moment, just staring. Not everything was settled in his mind, but at least he knew who he was and believed he could face the world again. With a quick, respectful nod, he went and timidly opened the door, not sure what he would see.

As he padded into the kitchen, he caught the sight of Iruka slumped over the table, sleeping unsteadily. His face was angled in Naruto's direction, and for the first time with clear eyes, he saw how Iruka had changed. His face was sallower than usual, and gaunt. His eyes were sunken and puffy, and overall, he looked thin.

Naruto felt his stomach twist with guilt. Would Iruka forgive him for all this? It was his fault, after all… Still, just seeing him lying there made him ache so bad for human contact. Tentatively, he reached out with his hand as he simultaneously inched forward, finally resting his hand unsurely on Iruka's sleeve. He stood there for a moment, indecisive and biting his lip, as he held his breath and began to pat Iruka's arm gently.

Luckily, Iruka was only slumbering lightly and woke instantly to Naruto's touch. His eyelids fly open as he sat up blearily, blinking in the dim light. It took a moment for him to register what was happening as the sun rose higher and shed more light on Naruto's hopeful face standing before him. His heart quickened in his chest.

_Please don't let this be a dream_, he prayed to himself.

"Naruto?" he whispered, afraid that if he reached out, Naruto would disappear and prove to be an illusion after all.

The blond's lip quivered as his large blue eyes met Iruka's.

"I-I'm…I'm so sorry!" he burst out, and in that instant, Iruka knew it was real. He rushed forward and swept the boy into a fierce hug, his heart soaring as those little arms wrapped themselves around him in return.

"Oh Naruto! Thank Kami you're back! I love you so much!"

Neither one knew how long they remained like that. It could have been days for all they knew. But honestly, it didn't matter. As they held each other, crying, they said nothing but everything at the same time. They apologized profusely yet rejoiced in their reunion. They recalled the past, but gazed to the future with revitalized hope. They prepared themselves for whatever would come, for they knew they would handle it together.

And not a word was spoken.

* * *

The rest of the day passed in relative quiet as Iruka and Naruto enjoyed one another's company. They remained mostly curled up on the couch, recuperating, or preparing food in the kitchen. No matter what they did, Naruto remained at Iruka's side, as if he needed constant, physical reassurance of the older man's presence. Iruka couldn't blame him, and was so happy to have Naruto back that he didn't mind how clingy the blond was being. He only hoped, in the back of his mind, that Naruto would grow out of this phase.

After lunch, the two returned to the couch, and Iruka knew he had to make Naruto talk or he would never open up on his own.

"Naruto, are you okay?" he started softly.

Naruto refused to look at him as he leaned into Iruka's side and nodded stiffly.

Iruka sighed internally, trying to think of how to put what he wanted to say as gently as possible.

"Naruto, you realize we can't just stay in here forever like this, right? I know we both need time to recover a bit, but eventually we're going to have to go outside."

"I know," the blond answered in a tiny voice. "I just…I'm…I'm scared."

Iruka swallowed guiltily. "I know. But I'll do everything in my power to protect you. I promise. And…I'm so sorry for not being able to prevent what happened." As he began to shake and tears overwhelmed his eyes, Naruto glanced up at him in surprise.

"I-Iruka-san, why are you crying? It's not your fault."

Iruka shook his head. "I'm afraid I have to be stubborn about this one," he admitted, cracking a weak grin.

"But…it's not your fault," Naruto repeated quietly, his voice tapering off near the end.

Iruka gazed down at his creased face and reached out to hug him closer.

They were silent for a few moments before something occurred to Iruka.

"Naruto, you don't blame yourself for what happened, do you?"

There was no reply.

"Naruto?" Iruka pressed, abruptly distressed.

At last, Naruto peered up at him.

"I know what I am," he said simply. His dead tone broke Iruka's heart.

"Naruto…"

"I know about the Kyuubi, okay? I get it. I'm not…normal, and I never was."

"That still doesn't mean you deserved what happened to you! What she did was evil—!"

"She thought she was saving Konoha. And…she was partially right."

"No!" Iruka burst out. "Naruto…!" His voice died as he found he didn't know what to say.

"It's okay," Naruto cut him off. "Really." His tone was resigned, but it only made Iruka even more distraught. As he opened his mouth to refute the boy, his mind blanked and he berated himself fiercely for being so incapable. He struggled with himself as a few more moments passed. Then, at once, Naruto spoke up.

"Iruka-san?"

"Yes?"

Naruto also appeared to be fighting a strong, inner conflict, as his face flickered between wanting to speak but fearing to do so.

"It's alright, Naruto. What is it?" Iruka prodded soothingly.

"I…I was w-wondering…W-Why did you forgive me?"

Iruka blinked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I killed…I mean, the Kyuubi, killed your parents. Aren't you…mad at me? For keeping it alive?" His eyes were full of tears and his face reflected uncertainty and desperate hope as he regarded Iruka searchingly.

Iruka felt his heart leap to his throat as he pulled Naruto into an embrace.

"I could never, _ever_ blame you for what that monster did, and it's definitely not your fault that it was sealed inside of you!"

Naruto uttered a little, sad chuckle into Iruka's chest. "No, I guess that's my father's fault," he hiccoughed.

Iruka's heart froze as they pulled apart. "So you know?"

Naruto nodded. "That weird old man told me…" He frowned. "Who—?"

"That was Jiraiya-sama. He's one of the legendary Sannin. I told you about them, remember?"

Naruto nodded.

"He was very close to your father, and well, he's your godfather, if you didn't know," Iruka added.

"Really?" Naruto gazed up at him, his face hard to read.

Iruka smiled. "Yes. So you've got some real family left."

"Then my mother—?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

Naruto lowered his face as he digested this news. Finally, he slowly raised his head back up.

"But…I also have…you, right? And you're like…my dad. Can I…can I call you 'Dad'?"

Iruka blinked away tears as he smiled warmly. "Of course. You've been my son for a while now, so I suppose that only makes sense!" he chuckled. Inside, his heart was nearly exploding with joy.

At this, even Naruto attempted a small smile.

"So…Dad?"

Iruka felt like he could fly. "Yes?" When Naruto didn't say anything else, he teased, "Just practicing?"

Naruto blushed. "Yeah," he admitted sheepishly.

Iruka hugged him again. "That's fine by me. I could probably use the practice too!"

As Naruto snuggled further into his side, Iruka hummed thoughtfully, letting him rest peacefully for a little while. Eventually, he spoke again.

"When you're up for it, maybe we should pay a visit to your friends. They've been awfully worried about you, you know." He sensed an immediate problem when Naruto stiffened. "Naruto?" he asked concernedly.

"I don't know if they're still my friends," he whispered in haunted voice.

"What do you mean? They've visited you almost every day—"

"I told them!" Naruto burst out miserably.

Iruka was stunned. "What?"

"I told them about the Kyuubi! And now they're gonna get punished because of me and it's all my fault!" Naruto cried, retracting from Iruka's embrace and huddling into himself.

"Calm down! It's okay, Naruto! Really! Listen to me," Iruka explained firmly. "Your friends aren't going to be punished for knowing about the Kyuubi if you told them. You're allowed to tell other people without breaking the law. Don't worry – I talked to the Hokage about this. As for them accepting it…" He trailed off, not knowing how much faith he could put in Naruto's friends. He wanted badly to believe that they would accept Naruto, but he couldn't let him down if he was wrong.

Naruto calmed down slightly at this, but Iruka could see that there was still doubt in his mind. He wracked his brain to figure out how to alleviate this problem.

"Do you remember when you told them?"

Naruto frowned in thought. "Umm…a week ago?" he admitted hopelessly.

Now it was Iruka's turn to think. He smiled triumphantly when his memory kicked in.

"They visited again at the beginning of this week, as we were getting ready to move you out of the hospital! I remember because Shikamaru wanted to know our new address."

"Really?" Naruto asked incredulously, afraid to hope.

Iruka shook his head, smiling. "They certainly didn't let on that they knew… I had no idea! But they wouldn't have visited you if they thought there was a problem, right?"

At the blossoming look on Naruto's face, Iruka prayed he wasn't wrong.

"Yeah," Naruto breathed. "You really think they don't mind?"

"There's one way to find out for sure. You want to head over to Shikamaru's?" As Naruto's oldest and seemingly most understanding friend, Iruka believed this visit just might do the trick, though Naruto still looked hesitant. "What do you say? Let's maybe get cleaned up a bit and head out." He stood up and held out his hand. Naruto stared at it for a moment before accepting.

"Okay," he said unsurely, taking a deep breath.

But just to make sure things would go smoothly, Iruka sent a warning message to the Naras as Naruto was taking a bath. He hoped the family would get the hint and give Naruto the reassurance he desperately needed.

Later, as Iruka and Naruto walked hand-in-hand through town, Iruka was keenly aware of how the incident had affected Naruto emotionally. Out in the streets, Naruto was clearly uneasy. His eyes darted in every direction, but were careful to avoid direct contact with anyone. Passersby were given a wide berth, and Naruto pointedly raked every skittering shadow for potential threats, as if danger loomed at every corner. It was obvious that he feared someone was planning to hurt him again, and Iruka was ashamed to admit that he could completely understand Naruto's mindset, and the possibility, in actuality, wasn't too unfeasible. It made him sick.

So, as Naruto carefully investigated every detail, Iruka kept his eyes open as well, intermittingly squeezing Naruto's hand to reassure him that he was still there and would protect him. Inside, his heart clenched in pain as he couldn't help but remember the comparatively confident, energetic boy from before. Naruto's self-esteem had taken a large hit, and Iruka knew only time could heal that wound. Time, patience and understanding. Iruka hoped Naruto's friends were up for the challenge. The Naruto they were soon to face was not the one they had known, and it would take a while for him to even closely resemble his previous self.

* * *

Shikamaru was pretending to nap outside on the porch, enjoying a bit of the waning sunshine while also reveling in the quiet. He faked sleep nowadays rather often, if only to get his worried mother off his back. She was so annoying with her constant pestering, and he couldn't stand that look in her eyes every time she thought he wasn't paying attention. While he did appreciate her concern, he found it a rather pointless emotion and a waste of energy that he could be using instead to think of something.

Of course, another reason why he pretended to sleep was to ease his pounding head. It had become rather petulant in these last few days as his actual lack of sleep caught up to him. It made him feel better with his eyes closed, just breathing in the air. These were his few moments of peace when he allowed his mind to go blank for once before jumping back into his frenzied planning.

All of a sudden, his peace was interrupted by a fluttering of wings. Peeking open an eye, he saw a messenger pigeon hovering over their yard flying through an open window into the kitchen where his mother was preparing an early dinner. After watching it disappear, he sat up cautiously, his curiosity piqued. The message clutched in its talons…what did it say?

Shikamaru slowly stood up, grimacing as his head reminded him that it really didn't like being overworked, but he pushed the pain away and focused on what the message was. Was it a note from his father? The thought scared him momentarily, as he knew his dad was currently on a mission. He really hoped it wasn't more bad news.

As he entered the kitchen, he heard his mother make a choking sound while she presumably read the message, and he froze in place, all thoughts of bad things rampaging through his mind. He was almost too afraid to find out what was happening, but he forced himself forward and nearly cried out in surprise at seeing that his mother, after being startled at first, was now smiling exuberantly with tears in her eyes. She glanced up at him.

"Oh Shikamaru!" she breathed happily.

His fogged mind inhibited speech for a moment, but at last, he burst out:

"What is it?" After she didn't answer, he grew impatient. "Mo-om! What's going on?" he demanded.

Yoshino could barely contain herself. "It's Naruto. He's back, and he's coming over right now!"

"WHAT?" Shikamaru leapt forward and snatched the note from his mother's hands, scanning it quickly and collapsing into a chair beside her.

"He's back," he murmured disbelievingly.

Yoshino nodded, though she grew somber. "Yes, but Iruka said—"

"I can read you know," he pointed out acidly, before sighing. "Sorry. I mean…"

Yoshino reached out to put a gentle hand on his. "I know. We have to be careful not to startle him, okay? I imagine he's very…confused. And…fragile."

"Yeah. Still, this is great!"

Yoshino smiled at him and then quickly grew alarmed. "Oh no! Should I hide the perfume? I don't want him to get scared!"

"Mom!" Shikamaru exclaimed exasperatedly. "Come on now! It's Naruto…" his voice trailed off as realization hit him. He hesitated before speaking again. "You may want to at least close the door to your bedroom," he whispered, his shoulders slumping. He gazed up at his mother hopefully as she stood to comply. "You don't think…he'll be _that_ bad, do you?"

Yoshino gave him a reassuring smile. "I don't know, sweetie. He's gone through a lot."

"Yeah," he muttered, becoming sad before clenching his fists angrily. "I hate that she did this to him!"

"Now, Shikamaru, anger is not going to solve anything," Yoshino chided. "She's already getting punished for what she did."

"It's too lenient," he muttered under his breath.

Yoshino sighed in agreement. "It's beyond our control. You just need to be positive when Naruto's here, okay? Be yourself, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru nodded. "Alright."

Despite his mother's advice, Shikamaru felt himself growing anxious as Naruto was due sooner and sooner. Not normally a fidgety person, he became rather annoyed with himself and tried to calm down by thinking things through logically. He didn't want to startle Naruto, but he couldn't deny how happy he felt knowing that Naruto had at least returned to the present and now responded to his name. Well, at least he hoped so…

He threw up his hands in frustration. It was no use imagining what may or may not happen! He just needed to wait and see!

Then, at last, there came a knock on the door. Yoshino emerged from her room to answer it. She gave Shikamaru a look that told him to calm down as she greeted their guests.

"Iruka-san! Naruto! Oh, it's so good to see you both! Please come in!"

Shikamaru could tell from his mother's voice that, though she was just being polite, she truly was happy to see them. He held his breath as he heard padding on the wooden floors and then they appeared. Iruka was first, looking slightly worn but much better than before. There seemed a happier air about him. Timidly hiding behind him was Naruto, who kept his face lowered. Shikamaru's chest seemed to deflate.

"Naruto?" he asked tentatively.

Naruto peeked out fearfully.

"H-Hey Shikamaru."

Shikamaru forced himself to smile. "Hey Naruto."

An awkward silence followed, in which no one met anyone's eyes. Finally, Iruka broke the quiet.

"Listen, we have some important things to discuss. Can we sit down somewhere?"

"Oh yes, where are my manners? Come." Yoshino directed them to the living room where they all sat nervously. "What's the matter, Iruka-san?" she continued, her face concerned.

"It's about…the Kyuubi," Iruka began hesitantly.

Yoshino blinked and she opened her mouth wordlessly, her eyes widening.

"What? Why?"

Iruka swallowed as Shikamaru grew cold. Was he about to get Naruto in trouble?

"Listen, I talked to the Hokage, and Naruto is allowed to tell people without breaking the law."

"But are you sure that's such a good idea?" Yoshino interrupted, clearly worried about where this was going.

Shikamaru breathed a sigh of relief. "It's okay, Mom. I already know about it."

"What?" Yoshino repeated in shock, glaring at her son.

Iruka nodded, his eyes leveling with Shikamaru's. "Naruto told me that he had told you guys…"

"Yeah," Shikamaru confessed quietly, staring past Iruka at Naruto, who was gazing at him pleadingly. Shikamaru smiled at him. "And I don't care about it. Anyone who thinks Naruto is at fault for having that thing sealed inside of him is an idiot. Naruto is still Naruto." Shikamaru's grin broadened as a shy, relieved smile broke out over Naruto's face.

"Really?" the blond asked tremulously.

"Definitely."

Yoshino teared up proudly, and Iruka felt much the same as the last remaining doubts in his heart floated away.

"Oh boys…"

"Hey Naruto, want to go back to my room and chat?" Shikamaru suggested casually.

Naruto hesitated before nodding. As they left the adults to talk, Shikamaru draped an arm around Naruto, noting that he seemed much more at ease.

"It's good to have you back, Naruto," he said sincerely as they plopped themselves down on his bed.

"Yeah…I'm sorry," Naruto replied looking away, not quite ready to face Shikamaru directly.

"For what?"

"For making you worry."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Meh. That's what friends are for, right?"

Naruto grinned shyly. "I guess." There was a pause, and then, "Are you sure you're okay knowing about me?" he asked in a small voice.

"Of course! It doesn't change anything. So you've got the Kyuubi inside of you, so what? You're still Naruto. You're still _you_!"

As Naruto turned his face away, Shikamaru saw his shoulders begin to shake.

"Naruto?"

"Thank you, Shikamaru," Naruto whispered in a wavering voice, sniffing.

Shikamaru put a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder, delighted that he didn't quite flinch away.

"No problem. I just wish nothing had happened to you," he murmured.

They relaxed into a comfortable silence.

"Are you going to be visiting anyone else after this?" Shikamaru spoke up suddenly. "Choji would probably eat a whole cake in happiness at seeing you back!"

Naruto giggled despite himself. "Umm…I don't know. Maybe." All of a sudden, Naruto gasped. "Ino!"

"What? What about her?"

"Is she okay? I forgot about…" Naruto breathed, guilt overwhelming him. He put his face in his hands.

"Hey, just worry about yourself, okay? I'm sure Ino's fine."

"You haven't seen her?" Naruto uttered miserably, his voice muffled.

"Well…" Shikamaru hesitated. "After the trial, she and her dad took off. I think they're living somewhere in the Fire Country now."

"What?" Naruto glanced up and his face was tear-stricken.

"Hey, it's okay! I'm sure she's doing much better! It was just…she didn't expect her mom to do something like what she did. I guess…she felt betrayed. You know, I heard that she sided with you at the trial, if that makes you feel any better."

Naruto looked down and sniffled.

"Shikamaru? Naruto? Come and have some tea!" Yoshino called all of a sudden. Naruto hastily wiped his face as they obeyed her summons. As they sat at the dining room table, Shikamaru noticed the worried glances his mother and Iruka exchanged with each other at Naruto's appearance.

They passed the time with idle conversation about upcoming festivals, news from the town and other frivolous topics. The boys weren't really a part of the conversation, though Yoshino tried to encourage them. However, halfway through, Naruto's eyelids began to droop. Yoshino noticed and berated herself for pushing Naruto and Iruka to stay when both of them were so obviously exhausted.

Excusing himself, Iruka rose and pulled Naruto to him. They bid farewell to the Naras and headed back home. Iruka grew even more worried as he saw that Naruto, despite his exhaustion, insisted on his paranoid tendencies, amplified by the dimming light of dusk. He tried to tell him it would be alright, but the boy's trust had been tested too much and he wouldn't listen.

By the time they made it back to the apartment, Naruto was dead on his feet. Iruka had to carry him up the landing and put him in bed, as he had already fallen asleep. He fondly removed the blond's shoes and brushed hair back from his face as he sat next to him. So much had happened this day… Iruka was just glad that Naruto had come back to them. Tucking in the boy and patting him affectionately, Iruka headed toward his own bedroom and almost immediately fell asleep. It was the most peaceful sleep he had had in a long time.

It was only in the early hours of the morning that his restful sleep was disrupted by screaming. Iruka sat bolt upright and flew to Naruto's room. He found the boy on the floor wrapped up in his blankets, wailing.

"Naruto, Naruto, can you hear me?" he cried as he untangled him and cradled him close.

And that was how the nightmares began.

* * *

_A/N: So, what do you think? Did you like Naruto's recovery? Dislike it? Hopefully no one hated it… Was it what you expected? As you can tell, I would love feedback on this chapter! Please review if you want a faster update! Love you all!_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Iruka was worried again. In fact, these days, he was always worried. He thought that after Naruto returned to himself that things might slowly return to normal, but he was mistaken. He should have known that Naruto would be too fragile, too mistrusting of everyone but himself, too afraid to venture outside alone. Iruka knew the boy's trust had been sorely tested, and couldn't blame him for not wanting to get hurt again.

Which was why Iruka knew something was horribly wrong. He blamed the nightmares for triggering it – the cursed, dopey smile that Naruto wore whenever he wanted people to believe he was fine. Now that Iruka knew the blond well enough, he could see right through it. He desperately wished Naruto had not resorted to hiding behind such a false exterior, but, unfortunately, that was how the boy had learned to deal with his pain. Naruto was definitely _not_ okay.

The nightmares seemed to have made things even worse. Whenever Iruka tried to get Naruto to talk about them, Naruto would clamp his mouth shut and mumble that it was nothing. Iruka knew better than that, and tried repeatedly to get Naruto to forego his taciturnity, but his efforts had proved futile. Whatever Naruto was experiencing, he didn't want to face it, which is what Iruka feared. Naruto couldn't keep bottling things up!

It didn't help matters that Iruka had to return to work. Every time he had to leave in the morning Naruto would be there to send him off, and after Iruka would comment on Naruto's exhaustion and tell him to take a nap (since it was clear the boy wasn't sleeping well at all), Naruto would only give him that fake smile and lie through his teeth. It was obvious as time passed how Naruto's health was deteriorating. He could visibly see the boy struggling with his act, desperately feigning energy he clearly didn't have. It was painful to watch, and even more frustrating to witness when nothing seemed to snap him out of his downward spiral.

Iruka knew Naruto's friends were concerned as well. They came to the apartment daily – sometimes all at once (minus Sasuke) and sometimes individually, each trying to appeal to Naruto in different ways and to coax him out of the house with them (since Naruto seemed only able to trust Iruka enough to go out with him). But time and time again they failed, and undoubtedly voiced their disappointment to parents who secretly contacted Iruka about what they could do to help. Iruka was grateful for their support, and updated them whenever he could, though not much changed until one day when there was an unprecedented heat wave.

Naruto was in the apartment, as usual, and was rather miserable. Not only was he horribly tired (he was even afraid to doze, and always startled himself awake when he found his eyes closed) but he was also sweating like mad. Whilst waiting for his friends to arrive, he contented himself by sitting across from the open refrigerator and watching sweat drip off the edge of his nose.

All of a sudden, there came a knock at the door.

Naruto shook himself awake and quickly answered it, putting on a quick smile as he saw his friends all together – Shikamaru in front, who was looking downright unhappy at the drastic change in the weather, Choji behind him, who was sweating profusely but beaming, and in the back Sakura, who, Naruto blushed to admit, looked rather pretty in her white dress and pink, freckled face.

"Hi Naruto," Shikamaru greeted flippantly as he came inside.

"Hey!" Choji echoed as he pulled Naruto into a giant, sticky hug. Ever since he had learned of Naruto's return, he had made it his duty to embrace the boy every time they got together to let Naruto know that he cared about him. Though Naruto would never admit it, he always looked forward to Choji's hugs – they made the crust around his heart slowly melt, giving way to tentative trust. It was a good feeling.

Then came Sakura, who shyly smiled at him before reaching out to clasp his hand.

"Hi," she said as she squeezed it and then let it fall.

"Hi," Naruto replied breathlessly as he closed the door. "So, what do you guys want to do today?"

Choji shrugged as Shikamaru simply moaned, slumping against the couch.

"Wow, it's hot in here! I think it's hotter here than outside!"

Naruto immediately grew defensive at the word 'outside.' "Oh. Really?"

"Yeah, but I think that's true of my house too," Shikamaru hurriedly amended, noting Naruto's reaction. He had grown rather keen at observing Naruto's subtleties.

"Though," Shikamaru continued, unperturbed, "I would rather not go out at all. If I had my way, I'd lock myself in a freezer and take a nap."

Sakura giggled. "But then you'd turn into a popsicle!"

As Choji laughed, Naruto just looked confused.

"Popsicle?"

"You've never had a popsicle before?" Choji breathed, his smile instantly giving way to wide eyes.

Naruto stared at his feet. "Yeah…well, they're like ice, right?"

"Flavored ice, actually. Better than plain ice by far!" Shikamaru explained.

"I wonder if Iruka-san bought any," Sakura spoke up as she investigated their freezer. "Nope. Too bad."

"There's a new store though in town with a whole bunch of them! My mom bought us a whole big box…but we ate them all already…" Choji admitted sheepishly.

"Really?" Shikamaru perked up. "If there's a day for a popsicle, it's today!"

"Yeah!" Sakura agreed.

Naruto bit his lip, knowing where this was going and preparing his defense.

"Umm…" he started unsurely.

Shikamaru glanced at Naruto sympathetically. "Well, we'd bring you one but I think it'd be completely melted by the time we got here…"

"Oh. Right," Naruto gulped, his chest deflating.

"Oh, but won't you come with us?" Sakura pleaded. "You can't stay in here all day!"

"Yeah, it's way too hot! Come cool down with us!" Choji added.

"And the refrigerator is _not_ an air conditioner, by the way," Shikamaru grinned wryly.

Naruto flushed fiercely, his heart pounding. He hated their peer pressure, but knew that that part deep within him was going to activate any moment now and stop him…

But then it didn't. He blinked in shock. Had he stopped being afraid, or was it simply too hot to argue? Clearly his body only wanted to cool down in any way possible.

"I…I…" he stammered numbly. The thought of stepping outside of the door terrified him – his body was already trembling in anticipation – but at the same time, the thought of a nice, cold, sugary popsicle in his mouth was really quite tempting…

"Hmm…maybe we could bring one back and refreeze it?" Choji was suggesting, and Naruto was touched that they were still trying to accommodate his unusual needs.

"But then it will stick to the wrapper," Shikamaru pointed out.

"Oh yeah."

There was silence as they tried to find out a solution to their dilemma.

"I'll go."

As one, Shikamaru, Choji and Sakura turned to gape at Naruto, who seemed similarly surprised at himself for speaking up.

"Did you say…you'll come with us?" Shikamaru ventured.

Naruto, not trusting himself to speak, nodded vigorously before his resolve faded.

Sakura's face brightened as she leaped forward in excitement.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"You sure about this, Naruto?" Choji asked uncertainly.

Actually, Naruto was so nervous that he felt that he was going to be sick, so he just nodded again.

Shikamaru noticed Naruto's expression and rushed forward to take advantage of the situation.

"Alright, let's head out then. Naruto, we're going to be right here, okay? So don't worry – nothing's going to go wrong."

"That's right! Everything will be fine as long as I'm here!" Choji encouraged.

Naruto swallowed thickly, deafened by the beating of his heart in his ears. His friends led him to the door and before he could protest, they steered him outside, down the stairs, and along the street. Naruto's eyes flickered between them, and he was grateful that they formed a barrier around him – Choji and Sakura on either side, and Shikamaru behind him. All were attentive and alert as they cautiously made their way into town, avoiding crowds by ducking into less conspicuous alleys.

Unfortunately, this plan of attack failed them the instant they saw the now closed Yamanaka Flower Shop half a block ahead of them. They were so focused on their immediate surroundings that they hadn't realized where they were headed until Naruto bodily froze, making Shikamaru crash into him.

"Naruto?" Choji asked worriedly.

"Oh no," Shikamaru breathed, seeing what Naruto's gaze was locked on. "Listen, Naruto, she's gone, she can't hurt you!"

But to Naruto, it was as if she were hiding there in wait, crouched in the darkness and dust. He could almost smell the flowers…

This was stupid.

Naruto gasped. Again, that part of him that usually told him to be afraid seemed absent today, as another, more logical part appeared to have taken its place. And this new, rational side of him was asking him why he should be afraid of flowers. The flowers hadn't hurt him, had they? They were harmless, inanimate objects that just happened to coincide with _her_. By themselves, they were nothing to fear…they were a symbol of beauty and love and peace…why should he see them as something so awful?

Because she had fooled him. She had used these flowers against him, to build his trust just so that she could rip away. She had turned these beautiful plants into something evil. He hated that, even after everything, she still affected him like this!

"It's just a flower shop," Naruto muttered to himself as he bravely walked forward, his friends silently exchanging astonished looks but complying with his actions.

Naruto's heart hammered in his chest as he approached the flower shop, but he forced himself to keep going, reminding himself that there was nothing to fear. Instead, he tried to focus on recalling Ino and the fun times they had had together. He felt bad that, because of him, she and her father had had to leave Konoha for a while. He hoped she would come back soon. After all, he bet Sakura really missed her, too.

"Hey, Naruto, slow down!"

Naruto had to stop suddenly, way past the Yamanaka's old shop, because his friends were struggling to keep up with his dogged pace.

"Naruto, you're fast when you want to be!" Shikamaru panted, grinning. Naruto was startled to find himself grinning back with a genuine smile.

"Oh Naruto!" Sakura cried as she abruptly flung her arms around him and hugged him briefly. Then, suddenly embarrassed, she stepped back and blushed.

"Good job!" Choji congratulated him, patting him on the shoulder.

Naruto felt himself welling with emotion at his friends' support.

"Thanks, guys," he said sincerely

"It's all you, Naruto," Shikamaru answered and nodded with his head. "And look! We made it!"

Right ahead of them on the corner was a convenience store with a huge poster advertising popsicles propped up against the door.

"Yay!" Sakura cheered.

Later, as they were heading back to Naruto's apartment, they were slightly less cautious, especially since part of their attention was spent on licking their second (Choji's fourth) popsicles. They all seemed to know, in an unspoken way, that Naruto had truly accomplished something huge and that this was a big step in his recovery, and they kept this in mind as they ensured that nothing would happen to ruin this major success.

And, lucky for them, they made it back without a hitch, and Naruto actually had something positive to tell Iruka, that is, after he woke up from his nap…

* * *

Naruto slowly got used to Konoha once more. He was still too uneasy to go alone, but he was much less afraid. Of course, things hadn't really changed for anyone else. He still received mean glances, harsh threats and even one person who murmured, within his hearing, that he was upset that Naruto had survived (whose description Shikamaru passed on to his father, and who received an awfully nasty visit from a rather influential and angry Nara clan head that night), but otherwise things went smoothly. Now that Naruto understood why the villagers treated him this way, and thanks to reinforcement by Iruka and his friends, he was slowly starting to accept that he really wasn't a monster, and that these people were wrong. As Sakura had pointed out to him, the only thing that truly set him apart were his whiskers, which were not very threatening at all.

"It makes you look kind of like a cat. And if people think a cat is a monster, then something's really wrong with them!" she laughed, and Naruto couldn't help but agree with her when she looked so cute like that.

A week passed, and then two. Naruto began to open up to his friends, and they were delighted at his newfound attitude. They praised him continually for his courage and soothed his worries, and he felt himself smiling naturally again. Inside, his heart clenched at their kindness, and he came to realize how much he was indebted to them, and especially Iruka, for dragging him out of the darkness and into the light.

Of course, not everything was perfect. Naruto hadn't forgotten Sasuke, but when he tried to get the others to help him look for the elusive Uchiha, they refused.

"But I want to see him!" Naruto exclaimed once.

"Yeah, well I don't think he wants to see you. He's changed, Naruto," Shikamaru replied seriously.

Naruto didn't quite believe him, and continued pestering the others, but they wouldn't relent. Sakura was especially fervent in her refusals, as she later confessed to Naruto that she had felt bad for Sasuke and had gone to look for him once, but when she found him and tried to talk to him, he had only yelled at her and at one point actually hit her. She admitted that it had happened by accident, but she was still too frightened to approach him.

That had stunned Naruto for a moment, but only for a moment. Even though he understand his friends' pleas against seeing Sasuke, he couldn't help but feel that the Uchiha's current behavior was his fault, and that it was up to him to fix it. After all, Sasuke didn't have the kinds of friends Naruto had.

Unfortunately, it took a while before Naruto was able to summon enough courage to venture outside alone in search of his long lost friend. It didn't help that he had spent much of his free time lately trying to make up for lost sleep, though only short naps were devoid of the nightmares that still plagued him. Still, it was some progress, and he felt much better than he had before. And now that his health situation was somewhat ameliorated, he had no excuse. It was now or never.

Naruto knew his friends were trying to protect him and would most likely try to stop him from searching for Sasuke, so he was forced to tell a small, white lie. He knew Shikamaru would see through it, so he made his plans on a day when Shikamaru had to train with his father. He also lucked out with Sakura, in that her mother was taking her out shopping. Left to Choji, Naruto knew he would be able to get away with anything, though it made his gut squirm guiltily just thinking about everything Choji had done for him, and how he was about to repay him with deceit. Still, he had no choice.

When Choji came to visit, Naruto feigned exhaustion, which, to be honest, was not a very difficult thing to do, seeing as he was still not in peak condition. As Choji rambled on about something or other, Naruto yawned continuously and made his eyelids droop. At one point, he got so caught up in his act that when he pretended to sway tiredly, he nearly almost fell.

And Choji, as predicted, fell for it immediately. The poor boy was so kind that he could not bear to prevent Naruto from getting the precious sleep he so desperately needed. So, right on schedule, Choji left Naruto lying on the couch and told him that they'd just have to meet up tomorrow when he was feeling better.

The instant the door shut behind the Akimichi boy, Naruto leapt to his feet, shaking off his actual weariness, which had not benefited from the show he had just performed. As he ran to his room, he pulled out some band-aids and, using the bathroom mirror, fit them perfectly over his whiskers. He couldn't believe that he had not thought of such a simple solution earlier. Now, he wouldn't be recognized…or at least he hoped not. It certainly couldn't hurt.

When he felt prepared for anything, he hesitated at the door, overwhelmed with what he was about to do. Everything was riding on how well the bandages concealed his telling birth marks. That, and how Sasuke would react to him. To tell the truth, he was more worried about Sasuke than about himself.

With one last, deep breath, Naruto pushed the door open and stepped out into the world. Knowing that Choji could very well be dawdling on the way back to his house, Naruto took an alternate route to the dock, figuring that he would start there. Sadly, Sasuke was nowhere to be seen when Naruto finally got down to the dock's edge and stared into the water. What had kept Sasuke so enraptured with the water? To Naruto, it only reminded him of his near-drowning episode, and he subconsciously found himself slowly backing away. If that didn't press the need for him to know how to swim, nothing would. Oddly enough, Choji's mom had even suggested helping him learn, and while Naruto knew the large woman would never let anything bad happen to him, it still made him queasy just thinking about sinking to the bottom and letting the fish eat him…

Shuddering, he left the dock and headed back into town, racking his mind for other possible locations of the elusive Uchiha. At that moment, he was in luck, because two chuunin walked by without sparing even a glance in his direction, and one, with tape covering his nose, just happened to mention the very subject of Naruto's search.

"Man, I never want to sneak up on something like that again! That Uchiha kid's dangerous!"

The other, with a patch of brown hair obscuring one eye, just laughed.

"What, you're seriously afraid of a seven-year-old?"

The first shook his head vehemently.

"You think I'm kidding? I swear that kid could've killed me with the way he looked at me! Remind me never to venture the training grounds with my guard down!"

"Never venture the training grounds with your guard down," the second returned, snickering.

The first smacked him on the back of his head.

"You ass!"

"Hey, don't take your anger out at me!" his friend retorted. "You're a chuunin! If you trained at least as hard as that kid maybe you'd finally get somewhere in life! Of course, you'd have to spend the day training and," he gasped dramatically, "maybe even miss a meal!"

The chuunin with the tape on his nose pouted childishly. "Why am I even friends with you?"

By that point, Naruto had heard enough and cautiously slinked away from the two men, whose bickering continued down the road.

"Training grounds, huh?" Naruto mused to himself. He tried to remember all of their locations, but while he was engrossed in this train of thought, he was oblivious to someone yelling at him. When he finally realized it, he glanced up at a band of ragtag kids obviously gathering to play some kind of game. But what made him stiffen in terror was the fact that he recognized them immediately.

They were children from the orphanage.

He felt dizzy with fear as he prayed that they hadn't recognized him.

"Hey, you, blondie! Come here! We need to even out the teams. We're playing ninjas!" one of the older boys, a freckled lad with curly red hair bellowed.

Naruto avoided his gaze, pretending he hadn't heard him.

"What's up with him?" a burlier boy demanded angrily, and Naruto gulped as he recalled the voice of Hideo, a boy who had led the others in tormenting him. He began to inconspicuously increase his pace, trying to look casual whilst internally panicking. All of a sudden, a large hand clamped around his arm.

"We're talking to_ you_, you—!"

Naruto couldn't breathe as Hideo laughed.

"Well, lookie here!" he exclaimed. "If it isn't the little freak! We were wondering where you had run off to. Figured you'd come crawling back halfway dead but then we heard you got a home? Someone adopted _you_?"

Naruto gasped in pain as Hideo tightened his grip.

"Now tell me something, _freak. _Why should a monster like you get a home when we don't? Huh? What'd you say?" His piggish face leered into Naruto's as the gang of children crowded around, catcalling and jeering.

Naruto met Hideo's eyes for a second before staring desperately at the ground.

"I said my name's Naruto," he mumbled.

"What?" Hideo said intelligently. He shook Naruto roughly. "What'd you say?"

"I said my name's NARUTO!" Naruto screamed as he spat in Hideo's face. His momentary courage drained quickly to horror as Hideo wiped the spittle off his face, at first in disbelief and then in increasing rage. He whipped around to Naruto.

"You don't have a name, _FREAK!_"

Hideo aimed a punch at Naruto's face, but Naruto immediately dodged it and instead slammed his elbow up into Hideo's jaw. As Hideo reacted in pain, he released Naruto, but Naruto's freedom had in no way been guaranteed. At once, the children began to surround him, the ones in the back egging on the ones who could land punches and kicks – and land they did. Naruto had learned and nearly mastered the defensive tactics Iruka had taught him, but the time he had spent in the hospital recovering had softened his body, and the edge he had once had was gone. Not to mention the fact that he was severely outnumbered. Naruto was reminded painfully of this as he fought through the barrier of bodies biting, scratching, hitting and tearing. He felt the bandages being forcibly ripped off his face, but ignored the sting as instead he cringed when a foot collided with the back of his knee and his legs buckled. He collapsed to the ground and curled into a defensive ball, horribly reminiscent of a time long ago before Choji and Shikamaru had learned of the truth.

"You're _nothing_ you freak! You monster! DEMON!" Hideo chanted as he rammed his foot savagely into Naruto's body.

Suddenly there came a scream from behind the mass.

"Hideo! Look out!"

But the older boy had no chance of avoiding the fierce pummeling he received. Naruto, who could only see out of one eye, squinted desperately at his savior. It was difficult to make out who it was, since the small figure was moving so quickly, but then the gang of children were running away with Hideo limping behind, whimpering and fearfully glancing over his shoulder.

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed.

Sasuke did not even look at him as he popped the knuckles on his fist and stalked away. Naruto lurched to his feet after him, breathing hard and ignoring the stabbing pains all over his body.

"Sasuke, wait!" he called. "Wait!"

Sasuke ignored him and Naruto had to run to catch up with the Uchiha. When he grabbed onto his sleeve, Sasuke swiped his hand off and swung around to face him.

"Leave me alone," he said coldly.

Naruto stared into the Uchiha's stony eyes and realized that his friends had been right. Sasuke had changed.

"I'm…sorry," he faltered.

"Well I'm not," Sasuke returned coldly.

"But Sasuke—"

"Get away from me."

"No," Naruto stated firmly, deliberately planting himself in Sasuke's way.

"Move."

"No."

"_Move_."

Naruto lifted his chin. "No."

Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously. "Get out of my way or—"

"Or what?" Naruto interrupted. "You'll hurt me? Well, do it. You know I heal fast anyways."

Sasuke clenched his jaw furiously. "You saw what I did back there. Do you really want the same to happen to you?"

Naruto gestured at his already battered body and shrugged.

"Bring it on."

Sasuke seethed. "Do you really want to _die_ that badly?"

"Oh, you think you'll kill me? If you haven't forgotten, I didn't even die _when I was pushed off a cliff_."

Naruto was satisfied to see Sasuke slightly wince at that. The Uchiha struggled for words for a moment.

"Get out of my way, Naruto," he uttered at last. When Naruto said nothing, he warned threateningly, "You're going to get hurt!"

"I don't care," Naruto replied stubbornly.

Rage swelled within Sasuke, and all of a sudden, his limbs were on fire. His arm arched back and he screamed as his fist hurtled toward Naruto's face. Naruto stood without flinching as Sasuke's energy abruptly died and his fist stopped an inch before connecting. As his arm fell, he began to shake horribly and dropped to his knees, his hands clawing through his hair. Naruto collapsed next to him and before he registered what he was doing, he pulled Sasuke into a hug. The Uchiha resisted at first, but then he burst into tears that racked his frame. It was as if these tears had been building up for a long time, because once they started, they wouldn't stop. Sasuke clung to Naruto desperately as the blond began to cry as well, the faked courage he had tried to wield succumbing to his true inner pain and fear. He was not as strong as he had tried to sound.

Neither boy knew how long they sat there, but all at once Sasuke pulled away, suddenly embarrassed. Luckily, they had chosen a relatively secluded area, and there were no witnesses.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Naruto murmured shamefully as Sasuke shakily rose.

"You should be," he muttered, wiping his eyes and sniffling.

Naruto giggled weakly. "It's been a while, huh, Sasuke?" he said, referring to their usual blunt exchanges.

"Your fault, not mine," Sasuke retorted, still feeling a bit awkward.

"I'm not blaming you—"

"What's wrong with you?" Sasuke interrupted, glaring fiercely. "You just…gave up!"

Naruto stared at the ground. "I didn't think I could trust anyone. I mean, she betrayed me…" He glanced up meaningfully at Sasuke, waiting for him to get the hint.

"Fine," Sasuke grumbled. "I get your point."

"Thought you would. That's why I had to come get you. You scared off my other friends."

"Friends? They're losers, the whole lot of them!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You don't really think that."

Sasuke scoffed. "No, really! Who hangs out with a lazy genius, a fat teddy bear and a pink-haired fangirl?"

"I do," Naruto replied simply. "And you can too, you know. Though you're going to have to apologize to Sakura first." This last bit he stated with deadly seriousness.

Sasuke looked annoyed but nodded. "Fine. As long as you hold them off. I don't want to be near them longer than I have to be."

Naruto grinned as he jumped to his feet. "Great! Now, let's celebrate by going to Ichiraku's!"

Sasuke scowled. "Again? You know, that stuff is _not_ the food of the gods…"

Naruto just laughed as they walked into town, Naruto swelling with happiness and not caring what he looked like, and Sasuke just looking rather petulant and threatening when he needed to against potential problems, but both secretly relieved that their confrontation had at last met with success.

* * *

_A/N: Gaahhhh I pictured the Sasuke/Naruto scene in my head and almost cried because the image was so cute, haha! Hopefully I wrote it well enough to convey what I saw in my mind… But anyways, read and review! I love to hear your thoughts! And may the next update be quicker to come… ;p_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It was the night of Naruto and Sasuke's reconciliation, and Naruto was sitting awake on his bed after a horrible nightmare. He stared glumly out of his open bedroom window at the moonlit Hokage's Monument and tried not to cry.

Naruto was scared – no – terrified. One of the horrible images that had assaulted him was the leering faces of the orphanage children, ghoulish as they swarmed around him and brutally crushed him. Just thinking about it made his heart race and sweat glisten on his skin.

He wished that he wasn't so weak.

Yet thinking that only brought up one of the reasons why he was so afraid – where had his abrupt bravery come from? How had he summoned enough courage to actually _spit _in Hideo's face? Was it…the Kyuubi's influence on him? Maybe he really _was_ turning into a monster! He had never been that strong before…

The clouds suddenly shifted, and it almost seemed to Naruto that a beam of moonlight fell directly on the face of the Fourth Hokage, his father.

No, he corrected himself, his _other_ father. An image of Iruka flashed through his mind and a lump formed in his throat. He hoped that, wherever the Fourth Hokage was, he wouldn't mind Naruto calling Iruka 'father.'

As Naruto regarded the stone visage of the Fourth, he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if he were still alive. Would he be proud of Naruto?

All of a sudden, a figure appeared across the street, waving at him. Naruto, overcoming the abrupt beating of his heart, squinted fiercely and barely discerned a familiar masked man.

"Inu-san!" he called, ushering. He blinked and suddenly Inu-san was perched on his windowsill.

"Hello, Naruto. I just got back from a mission and wanted to check up on you."

A hazy memory triggered in Naruto's mind. He glanced up at Inu-san.

"Thank you for saving me before," he murmured gratefully.

"I'm just glad that you're alright."

Naruto turned away shamefully.

"But…I don't think I _am_ alright. I mean…I'm _different_ than I was before," Naruto admitted with a sniffle.

"To not change after surviving something like that would certainly be a feat," Inu-san replied matter-of-factly.

Naruto frowned. "Feet?"

Inu-san rolled his eyes. "What I mean is that it's normal to feel different, because living through that kind of experience would change anyone."

"Really?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"Yes, it's true. I myself can say that I changed after my first mission as a ninja. But you know, the kind of change that happens may not be a bad thing."

Naruto was thoughtful. "I guess not. But how do I know it's _me_ that's changing, and not the Kyuubi?"

Inu-san sighed. So he did know.

"I'm not sure about that, but I think it's clear that the Kyuubi has yet to affect you. After all, no one found out about it who didn't already know, meaning that you've kept it well guarded."

Naruto's eyes glistened. "I've kept it well guarded?"

Inu-san nodded. "Yes, you have. You're a very brave young man for enduring everything as you have."

Naruto's breath hitched in his throat. Inu-san had just called him _brave_.

"But…I'm not very brave at all. I'm…" he trailed off pathetically.

Inu-san felt bad for upsetting him, so he decided to change the subject.

"Do you want to know what's under my mask?"

Naruto's head snapped up. "You'd let me find out?" His eyes were wide and full of curiosity and eagerness.

Inu-san chuckled to himself. How easy it was to change a child's mind.

"Yes, but you must promise to never tell anyone that I let you."

"Okay," Naruto promised. He wriggled impatiently as Inu-san reached up and gently pried away the mask…only to reveal another mask beneath it that completely concealed his identity. Naruto pouted petulantly. "Hey, no fair!"

The one eye revealed winked and then creased into a smile.

"I'll be looking out for you, Naruto, so don't worry."

Naruto shyly smiled. "Thanks, Inu-san."

Inu-san grabbed his mask back, and after reinstalling it on his face, leaped off into the night, pausing on the street below to compare the shining face of Naruto in his window with that of the illuminated Fourth Hokage. Smiling, he nodded at his old sensei and melted into the shadows.

Naruto watched him disappear and then sank back into his bed, falling into a slightly less troubled slumber.

* * *

The next morning, after bidding Iruka off to work, Naruto settled onto the couch and tried to read a new book he had gotten. Unfortunately, while he was a fast learner at Iruka's physical training, mental exercises, especially reading, eluded him. No matter how hard he concentrated, the letters seemed to scramble on the page, making nothing distinguishable. For over an hour he tried to make his brain work, whether by bringing the book an inch from his face, or by holding it far back; by blinking quickly in hopes that he would catch the words at a standstill, or by staring at it as long as he could so maybe the words would stop shuffling. Nothing seemed to work, and just as he was about to give in to his frustration, a large, booming knock resounded on the front door.

Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound, which he had not expected until later, and certainly not as loud! He hurried to the front door and opened it, smiling in anticipation of greeting his friends. However, as the door swung open and revealed his visitor, the smile dropped off his face.

The old man…one of the Sannin…what was _he_ doing here?

Naruto had thought that the old man – what was his name again? – had left after their whole episode. Had he really been in Konoha this whole time?

"Hey Naruto! Remember me?"

Naruto vaguely did, though it wasn't an altogether pleasant memory.

"You're one of the Sannin."

"Yep. Jiraiya's the name. I don't think we were properly introduced." Jiraiya stuck out his hand and Naruto awkwardly shook it.

"You're…my godfather, right?"

Jiraiya's smile became a bit strained. "Yes, I am." He shook himself. "And that's why I wanted to take you out for a day in town!"

"Really?" Naruto felt a bit suspicious. "Why?"

Jiraiya's smile dropped. He sighed.

"Listen, I know that you've gone through a lot and that I haven't been here. I'm so sorry, Naruto. I don't really deserve to call myself your godfather…and frankly I think your father would kick my as—butt if he were alive, but I've had my reasons. Believe me when I say I would've been here if I could've."

Naruto bit his lip, conflicted. Before him stood the only man left who was part of his real family, and yet he hadn't even known he existed. He wanted to trust Jiraiya, but, considering his past experiences, he had second thoughts about that.

"I…I can't do today. I'm meeting friends—"

"Oh good!" Jiraiya interrupted. "I was hoping to meet some of yours, seeing as I would like to introduce you to a few of mine!"

To Naruto's horror, he suddenly bit his thumb enough to draw blood, and then slammed his palms onto the ground. An intricate circle appeared and then disappeared in a puff of smoke as, in its place, sat an orange tadpole the length of Naruto's leg. Naruto recoiled in fear as it began to wriggle and then spoke.

"Yo, what are you doing summoning me for? You better have snacks!" the creature demanded indignantly at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya just laughed. "Just thought I should introduce some family to you. Naruto here's never seen a summoning jutsu, right?"

Naruto's eyes widened in curiosity as he took a step closer, nodding in response to Jiraiya's question. The tadpole swiveled to face him and peered at him closely.

"Yo. So you're Naruto, huh?"

Naruto nodded dumbly, relaxing as he realized this small tadpole couldn't possibly hurt him.

"Yeah. What's your name?"

"I'm Gamakichi. Nice to meet you, I guess. Though this is a bit annoying to be summoned out of nowhere, especially without any snacks. Couldn't you have called Pops instead?"

"I thought I'd start small and build my way up. Besides, we're inside," Jiraiya pointed out.

"You saying I'm small?" Gamakichi pouted.

"So, what are you?" Naruto blurted suddenly.

Gamakichi rolled his eyes. "What does it look like? I'm a tadpole. Soon to be a real toad, mind you! Just give me a few months!"

"Or years," Jiraiya put in.

"Hmph," Gamakichi grumbled lightly, smirking.

"No, but, what do you do?" Naruto continued, really wondering why someone would use this kind of technique.

"Well, I don't do much like this," Gamakichi admitted. "But when I get bigger, I'll be just like Pops! I'll be the best fighter ever, er, second best to him of course."

"You fight?" Naruto breathed.

"You bet we do!"

"There is a special summoning technique where, after making pacts with the animal of your choice, you can summon them in battle to help you out," Jiraiya explained.

"Really?" Naruto's eyes lit up as he beamed at Jiraiya, who chuckled.

"Yes, really. Want to see something even cooler? I can summon an even bigger toad outside!"

Naruto's mood faded as he gulped. Could he really trust this man?

"Aw, don't worry about Pops. He's grouchy on the outside, but he's nice once you get to know him," Gamakichi assured Naruto, not understanding the reason for his abrupt mood swing.

Naruto hesitated, trying to recall what Iruka had told him about the Sannin. They seemed pretty revered throughout the village as strong, loyal shinobi so…what did he have to worry about?

Swallowing his fear, he followed Jiraiya outside, where Jiraiya set Gamakichi on the ground and copied his technique from before. Suddenly there stood a giant toad that occupied the entire road.

Naruto's jaw dropped at the toad's sheer immensity.

"What's going on? Why did you summon me? There's no danger here! I'm going back—" the large toad groused.

"Gamabunta-san, I wanted you to meet Naruto. Minato's son, and my godson," Jiraiya hastily cut in.

All of a sudden, Gamabunta leaned over and an eye the size of Naruto himself peered at him intensely. Naruto withstood his scrutiny, though he shook a little, still amazed at the toad's size.

"He's scrawny," Gamabunta muttered as he straightened.

Jiraiya grinned. "He's just a kid now. Be nice."

"Hmph. This is pointless. Come on, Gamakichi. We're going home. Oh, and Jiraiya, next time, you better have a _reason_ for summoning me!"

"See ya, Naruto!" Gamakichi called. In a puff of smoke, the toads vanished, leaving Naruto wondering if had just had a very strange dream.

"Hehe…sorry about them," Jiraiya apologized awkwardly. "Usually they're a _bit_ nicer than that… Actually, no…" As he comically scratched his head, Naruto couldn't help but let a giggle escape. Jiraiya took this to heart.

"Just think – someday you could have your own summons."

Naruto's eyes brightened at the prospect. "Shinobi get to do so many cool things! They can summon animals, beat people up and they can fly!"

"Fly?" Jiraiya repeated dubiously.

"Yeah, Inu-san took me flying once! It was awesome!"

"Inu-san?"

"He's one of the guys in the masks!"

"Oh, you mean the Anbu."

"Is that what they're called?"

"Yup."

"And they work for the Hokage right?"

Jiraiya nodded.

"Can the Hokage summon anything?"

"That old man? Yup. He can summon Enma, the Monkey King." As Naruto exhaled in wonder, Jiraiya added, "Maybe someday I could even teach you how to summon the toads, and sign a contract with them."

Naruto gazed at Jiraiya with wide, excited eyes.

Jiraiya smiled back and then clapped a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Alright, now how about we go grab something to eat?"

As the Sannin steered them to a restaurant, Naruto had trouble reminding himself to be wary of the old man. Just the idea of being able to summon creatures like _that_ was so thrilling! He couldn't wait to be a real shinobi!

Over lunch, Naruto listened with rapt attention as Jiraiya told Naruto stories of his travels, detailing some of his special techniques in the process. During one of his tales, Naruto's father was mentioned, and Jiraiya's voice suddenly dropped into a whisper.

"Naruto, have you told anyone about what I told you?"

Naruto shook his head. "Only Iruka knows," he swore.

Jiraiya's eyes were sad as he straightened, resuming his smile.

"That's good. Now Naruto, I think it would be best if it stayed that way for a while. Do you understand?"

Naruto nodded mutely. He agreed with Jiraiya, and furtively relished having this one secret to treasure. Where before he had had so many secrets to himself, recent events had revealed everything, and suddenly Naruto didn't want to be so exposed anymore. He wanted _something_ for himself, even if it was just a name.

As they were leaving the restaurant, they bumped into Sakura.

Naruto saw her first, and waved her over. When she saw who he was with, though, her eyes widened and she grew speechless.

"Sakura, this is Jiraiya-san. He's one of the—"

"Sannin," Sakura supplied, overwhelmed. "I never thought…But…oh it's nice to meet you!" She hurriedly bowed, causing Jiraiya to laugh and reflect on how beautiful she would be when she was older…

"Um…so…how do you know each other?" she asked timidly as they strolled down the street, those who would normally shoot Naruto nasty glares simply ignoring him thanks to Jiraiya's intimidating presence.

"We just met," Jiraiya answered smoothly, sharing a meaningful look with Naruto that went over Sakura's head.

"Oh," Sakura said.

"Yeah, he was just showing me a really cool summoning technique. He made these giant toads appear out of nowhere!"

Sakura mirrored Naruto's enthusiasm as he described everything for her.

"Man, I hope I'll be able to do that when I become a true ninja! Though I'm kind of worried about starting the Academy…"

"Don't worry, Naruto. I'm sure you'll be a really great ninja!" Sakura smiled at him and Naruto blushed.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan. I'm sure you'll be a great one, too." He flushed even more fiercely as he realized that he had accidentally added the term of endearment, -chan, to Sakura's name. She, in turn, acknowledged this change in their relationship with her own blush.

"Thanks…Naruto-kun."

Jiraiya laughingly watched the children blush and then shyly avoid each other's gazes. _Ah, young love_, he thought, snorting in amusement.

When they got nearer to Sakura's house she was forced to excuse herself, and as she headed home, Jiraiya pulled Naruto close to him.

"Someone's got a crush on a certain pink-haired girl," he teased, elbowing Naruto suggestively, who felt his face grow hot.

"N-No I don't!" he denied vehemently, causing Jiraiya to burst out in a guffaw.

"Right! And I'm not one of the Sannin!" he laughed.

Naruto ducked his head in embarrassment, his face aflame.

"Alright, alright. I'll stop…for now," Jiraiya chuckled with a wink as he clapped a friendly hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Now if you don't mind, I think we should actually head over to the old man's tower. I mentioned that I was going to see you today and he wanted me to bring you along. Actually he ordered me to. Guess I have to listen to my old sensei, huh?"

"The Hokage was your teacher?" Naruto asked in wonder, trying unsuccessfully to picture a younger version of the old man.

"Yep. You know, he's actually connected to you, too, if you think about it. There's a whole line down to you – the Third Hokage was my teacher, and I was your father's teacher. I wonder who'll be yours?"

"I don't know if I'll have one," Naruto mumbled sadly.

"What do you mean?"

"What if I fail out of the Academy?" Naruto's eyes were wide with fear and uncertainty. Jiraiya winced as he tried to think of something comforting.

"I don't think that'll happen. I mean, look at who you're living with! That Umino guy is one hell of a teacher if I ever saw one!"

Naruto's expression lifted slightly.

"And," Jiraiya pressed on, "I have faith in you, and so do all of your friends. Look at how far you've come!" He put on his best smile and Naruto hearkened to his words.

"You really think so?"

"Definitely! I think your girlfriend was absolutely right with what she said."

Naruto's ears reddened. "She's…she's _not_ my girlfriend!" he stammered helplessly.

Jiraiya grinned in relief as they approached the Hokage Tower. Naruto allowed his neck to crane back so he could look up at the enormous building.

"This is where Inu-san took me flying! We went all the way up there!" Naruto informed Jiraiya.

"Would you like to do it again?" Jiraiya asked with a mischievous smile.

"You can fly in those?" Naruto mused dubiously, regarding Jiraiya's sandals.

Jiraiya nodded. "Of course. I love these geta. Why wouldn't I be able to fly in them?"

Naruto shrugged and then cringed as Jiraiya grabbed him, though his grip was gentle but firm.

"You ready?"

With a nod from the blond, Jiraiya crouched and then sprang into the air. At first he whooped triumphantly, but then he became aware that something was horribly wrong.

Naruto had not said a word, and in fact had latched onto his clothing with fists so tight that his knuckles were white. His face, instead of reflecting joy, exuded absolute terror and he was sobbing uncontrollably.

Jiraiya immediately stopped ascending and landed on the nearest ledge, cradling Naruto on the inside nearest the building.

Naruto seemed on the verge of a panic attack. His eyes were rolling and he was heaving for breath. He slid down the wall and pulled himself into a ball where he was oblivious to Jiraiya's frantic calls.

Anbu, summoned by the yelling, abruptly appeared and after appraising the situation, ushered Jiraiya and a hyperventilating Naruto into the building. They ended up in an empty conference room where Naruto began to tremble and shake his head.

"Naruto? Naruto, what's wrong?" Jiraiya asked softly, kneeling before the boy. "Naruto, it's okay now. You're safe."

Naruto didn't seem to hear him.

"N-no…I don't…I don't want to fall! We're too high! We're…we're gonna fall!" he cried anxiously over and over to himself.

At hearing this, Jiraiya could've kicked himself. Of course it was logical that the kid was afraid of heights! What had he been thinking? That feeling they got in their stomachs as they took off from the ground couldn't have helped things either! He was such an idiot!

"What's going on here?"

Jiraiya turned around to face the Hokage.

"It's my fault." He quickly explained his reasoning and the Hokage, with a pained look, nodded in agreement.

"That makes sense," he sighed as he joined Jiraiya on the ground.

"Naruto? Can you hear me?"

But Naruto was covering his ears, as if trying to block out harmful words. The Hokage felt a rage build inside him as he reflected on what she had done to him.

"You. Go get Iruka immediately," he barked at a nearby Anbu as he realized his uselessness in this situation. The Anbu nodded and disappeared.

The Hokage gazed at his former student, who was looking murderous.

"She only got _ten years_?" Jiraiya spat.

The Hokage sighed. "Yes. But ten years is a long time. He will be stronger by then, I am sure of it."

Jiraiya seemed to regain control of himself and nodded slowly.

"Yeah. I believe that, too."

Suddenly Iruka burst through the door, panting. His eyes widened as he beheld Naruto.

"Naruto!" He raced forward and pulled the boy into a hug. "It's okay, it's okay! It's me! It's Iruka!" His eyes sought out the Hokage's over Naruto's shoulder. "What happened?" he demanded harshly.

As Jiraiya explained, Naruto proved him correct as he repeated his earlier words.

Iruka squeezed Naruto gently. "You're not falling anymore, Naruto. See? I've got you and I'm not going to let you go. I'm here."

After a few more of these utterances, something seemed to click in Naruto's mind and he collapsed against Iruka with a painful sob.

"Dad?" he whimpered as he pressed into Iruka's body.

"Yeah, it's me," Iruka whispered. "I'm here."

"I-I don't want to fall again."

"I know. You won't. I won't ever let you fall again," Iruka promised as he closed his eyes and leaned his head against the boy in his arms. He stayed that way until Naruto quieted and then slowly stood up.

The Hokage's eyes were shining as he nodded to Iruka.

"You're doing Konoha a wonderful service," he said.

Iruka's jaw tightened. "I'm not doing this for Konoha. Now, if you would excuse me, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage stepped aside as Jiraiya joined him. They stood, former teacher and former student, and watched Iruka and Naruto depart.

"I guess it's too late for me, huh?" Jiraiya mused.

The Hokage gave him a look and Jiraiya's shoulders dropped.

"Yeah. It probably wouldn't have worked with me anyways." He sighed. "I suppose I'll be going then."

"You give up too easily," the Hokage commented.

Jiraiya's baleful grin was tinged with sadness and remorse.

"Yeah, that's one fatal character flaw of mine. But even I can see that he doesn't need me, not now at least. Not when he has Iruka. But I swear I'll come back for him when he does need me."

"And when will that be, and what will you do until then? Try to fulfill that silly prophecy of yours?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "I guess."

There was silence, and then the Hokage shook his head. "Too much has happened and I have been able to do nothing."

"Now don't you get all pessimistic on me, Sensei. You're the Hokage."

"But you won't even consider it?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "I'm not Hokage material. Hell, I can't even deal with my own godson. I've no right to hold such a position. But you, old man, you've got strength left. I expect you to still be in power when I come back."

The Hokage's lips stretched into a wan smile. "Alright then."

"Until next time." Jiraiya saluted as he stalked to the window and then leaped to the ground.

The Hokage stared at the window, abruptly feeling very old. But then he straightened and a dangerous glint returned to his steely eyes. With a purposeful stride, he headed back to his office.

* * *

Time passed. A day, a week, a month and then a few months flew by. It was now the week before they started the Academy, and Naruto and his friends were both very excited and very nervous.

Naruto, for one, had been training very hard in preparation for it, both mentally and physically. Unfortunately, his reading and writing skills hadn't improved very much at all, though he refused to give up and spent as much time as he could practicing. Luckily, his nightmares had started to decrease in frequency, and he had only had them about twice a week, give or take, so he was no longer quite so exhausted.

Time had also done wonders for Naruto's confidence. He had begun to journey into town by himself, though he was always cautious and ready for anything when he did. He had also begun to accept his new fear of heights and tried to push himself past it, though it was proving slow progress. Iruka assured him that it, too, would heal in time. He just needed to be patient.

On one of the last days before they were to enter the Academy, Naruto was spending time with his friends. He had gotten Sasuke to warm up slightly to the others, and the five of them were often seen together all over town. The point of the large group, as it were, was not only to have more fun, but to also be able to protect each other in case something happened.

On this particular day, Naruto and his friends were making their way to the convenience store to get some popsicles. The sun was rather hot even though it was early in the morning, and the general consensus among them all was that they wanted to cool down if they could, especially since swimming lessons weren't until later in the afternoon. Indeed, Choji's mother had stuck with her promise and was teaching all of the children how to swim. Though Sasuke wouldn't be caught dead in their class, wearing their silly swimming trunks, Naruto and the others were learning loads and he was beginning to feel better about being near water. It helped that Chiharu was a wonderful teacher and a surprisingly adept swimmer, considering her girth.

As they chatted amiably, with Sasuke in the back with hands stuck in his pockets and a characteristic glower on his face, Sakura abruptly halted and gave a shout, pointing. The others followed her gaze and exchanged glances with each other.

Outside the Yamanaka Flower Shop, which had been closed for awhile, there stood a large wagon being emptied by men they didn't recognize. What was important was that lights were on in the building, and the doors were wide open.

"They must be back!" Sakura declared excitedly as she darted forward to investigate. Just outside the door there came a cry from inside and a familiar blond hurdled out to tackle Sakura with a hug.

"Sakura!"

"Ino! You're back!" Sakura cried, her voice muffled.

"Yeah, I am." Ino smiled as they pulled apart. She turned to face the others and the smile froze on her face as she stared at Naruto. He in turn stiffened, and between them crackled the spectrum of emotion, from apology to fear to joy. For Ino, she was happy to see that Naruto was okay because her father had revealed to her that his prospects hadn't been looking good when they left. But on top of her happiness, she couldn't help but feel guilty that she had caused all of this to happen. If she had never told her mother about his healing ability, maybe Hanako wouldn't have gone to such extreme measures...

On Naruto's part, though he had braced himself for this moment, his body couldn't help but negatively react to one that looked so much like Hanako. He knew he should have been expecting that her resemblance would set him off, but he didn't think it would be this bad. His fear was purely instinctual, even though he tried to remind himself over and over that this was his friend and that she hadn't been the one to hurt him.

"Ino?" Sakura spoke up timidly, breaking the spell locking Ino and Naruto in place.

"H-huh?" Ino stammered as she turned to Sakura again.

"Are you okay?"

Ino bit her lip and then nodded. "For the most part."

"Hey, it's good to see you," Shikamaru greeted as the group joined them.

"Well that's surprising, coming from you," Ino teased.

Choji chuckled as he caught the girl in an embrace.

"Yeah, well, Shikamaru _really_ missed you!"

"Hey!" Shikamaru pouted as Choji laughed.

"I missed you, too," the chubby boy added.

"It's good to see you all," Ino said, misty-eyed, "And you…I know who you are!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "So does everyone in this village."

Ino ignored him and bounced forward, her eyes widening.

"You're so much cooler in person!"

Sasuke resisted the urge to smack himself and instead peeked worriedly at Naruto out of the corner of his eye. It appeared that the other blond was still struggling with himself, and suddenly Sasuke realized that Ino didn't know about the Kyuubi. How would Naruto break the news to her? He narrowed his eyes, carefully gauging his friend's reaction, as Naruto awkwardly hugged her and stared at the ground. As Naruto began to fidget, Sasuke noticed that his fists were clenching and unclenching and that he was starting to pant irregularly.

"So, um…do you want to come inside? I mean, we're not unpacked yet but—"

"We have to go," Sasuke interrupted irritably. Then, as an afterthought, "Sorry."

Ino's face fell for a moment, but then brightened as Sakura promised that she would stay.

"Don't worry, Ino. I'll help you unpack." Sakura grinned and exchanged a meaningful glance with the boys, her eyes flickering to Naruto who was showing the early signs of a panic attack.

Shikamaru immediately intervened and, with a pleasant smile on his face, apologized to Ino for leaving and physically steered Naruto away.

Sakura regarded Ino carefully as Naruto and the others left, and she was slightly alarmed to see that her friend's cheerfulness had died only to be replaced by despondency. She surged forward and hugged her friend again, squeezing her tight.

"It's okay. He'll be okay," she whispered soothingly.

"It's not him I'm worried about!" Ino whispered back, tears filling her eyes. "I didn't expect much else from Naruto after what…what _my mother_ did to him, but I…I can't stop crying about it!"

Sakura rubbed Ino's back comfortingly as she cast a longing glance to the boys retreating down the street. Only time could help them heal, and they had still had a long way to go before the semblance of normalcy could return.

Meanwhile, Naruto's trembling was slowly abating as his friends clustered around him in concern. They were in a park-like area of Konoha, and Naruto was seated on a bench.

"You okay, Naruto?" Choji asked, frowning anxiously.

Naruto nodded in frustration. "What's wrong with me? I know she's not…_her_ so why—?" he demanded helplessly, glaring at his hands.

"It's not your fault," Shikamaru said.

"I know it's not!" Naruto snapped. "But why do I still have to react like that? I've been doing fine for a while and now it's all gone!"

Shikamaru swallowed guiltily. "You're not going to go back to normal so quickly, you know. Not after everything."

"But why not? I'm fine now!" Naruto insisted on the verge of tears.

"Really?"

Naruto bit back his tears as Sasuke stared at him.

"You're not fine, Naruto. You can't be _fine_ after all of that. It only happened a few months ago. You can pretend all you want but…you'll never get over it," Sasuke said, his voice soft. Realizing that he had accidentally revealed his vulnerable side, Sasuke quickly reassumed his hardened expression. "Never mind," he muttered as the others eyed him sympathetically. "Stop staring at me like that!"

Choji and Shikamaru dropped their gazes guiltily as Naruto tried to weigh Sasuke's words in his mind.

"I guess you're right," he murmured at last. All of a sudden he leaped into the air, pumping his fist. "So let's not be so sad about it! Let's make more happy memories to cover the bad ones!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "And let me guess – that will include more ramen."

"Of course!" Naruto grinned. "What's so bad about ramen?"

"Oh nothing except that you _never stop talking about it_!" Sasuke groused as Choji and Shikamaru laughed at him.

"Aw, I think Sasuke-chan's hiding something. Maybe a secret love of ramen?" Shikamaru teased, glorying in the furious expression on Sasuke's face.

"Shikamaru!" Choji admonished, though he couldn't keep his lips from forming into a smile.

"Really?" Naruto asked, his face lit up at the prospect that Sasuke might harbor the same love he had for his favorite food.

"No!" Sasuke exploded, sending a death glare in Shikamaru's direction, who took it with a snigger. "I'm sick _to death_ of ramen!"

"It's okay, Sasuke-chan. You don't have to hide it," Shikamaru laughed. Sasuke looked absolutely murderous.

"Stop calling me that! I'm older than you and I've already been in the Academy for a year, so I could kill you!"

Shikamaru sighed. "I'm just kidding! You get so worked up about nothing! Just relax!"

Sasuke glared at him. "Why am I even hanging out with you?"

"Because we're all friends!" Choji spoke up. He 'eeped' as Sasuke's eyes narrowed on his. "What? I thought we were?"

Sasuke squared his jaw but said nothing. He huffed in annoyance.

"You know, I was thinking something, and don't say anything!" Sasuke cut off Shikamaru with a severe look. "Ino doesn't know."

Naruto looked up in suddenly, his eyes wide.

"Doesn't know? What are you talking about?" Choji asked, confused.

"You're right. She doesn't," Shikamaru breathed, abruptly worried.

"What? Who doesn't know what?" Choji demanded.

Naruto swallowed. "Ino doesn't know about the Kyuubi," he mumbled.

Choji gasped. "Oh! Oh no! But you don't think she'll react badly, do you?"

Shikamaru looked grim as he shrugged. "I don't know."

"It doesn't matter. She deserves to know," Sasuke stated. "She's your friend, right? She deserves to know the truth."

Shikamaru gave Sasuke a reproving glance, though he reluctantly agreed.

"He's right, Naruto. She doesn't know why…what happened happened."

They all gazed at Naruto as he heaved a sigh and stared at the sky.

"I…I talked to the Kyuubi once," he admitted quietly, veering off-topic.

"What does that have anything to do with anything?" Sasuke scowled.

"You WHAT?" Shikamaru cried out.

"Wait, you can actually _talk _to it?" Choji gaped.

Naruto grinned sadly. "Yeah."

"Well, what did it say?"

"It wanted me to release it."

A chorus of gasps echoed out.

"But obviously you didn't," Shikamaru pointed out as Naruto nodded slowly.

"No, I didn't."

"Then what's the problem?" Sasuke demanded impatiently.

"Isn't that…weird though?" Naruto asked, a desperate look in his eyes.

"Naruto, we've already had this conversation," Shikamaru reminded him. "We're _all_ weird!"

"But you don't have a monster sealed inside of you!" Naruto protested.

"And you don't have a brother who killed your entire clan!" Sasuke shot back angrily, startling them all into shamed silence.

"Listen," Shikamaru began in placating tones, "Are you worried that Ino won't accept you?"

"I guess," Naruto mumbled. "I've also been worrying about…well…you guys. You've been helping me and I've just been…"

"Today's just a bad day, Naruto," Choji said. "And we're your friends so we'll stick with you no matter what!"

"But—"

"We're all worried about the Academy," Shikamaru assured him. "Except maybe for Sasuke-chan."

Sasuke bristled. "You'll get what you deserve when we start doing drills!" he promised savagely.

Shikamaru shrugged him off. "Yeah, probably. Hey, why don't we go cloud-gaze?"

"Okay! And don't forget about the popsicles!"

"Ah, right! Good job for remembering, Choji. Let's go!"

Naruto smiled as he stood up. "Thanks guys," he said sincerely as they started to walk toward the convenience store.

"No problem. Hey," Shikamaru paused to call over his shoulder at a sulking Sasuke. "You coming?"

"I hate cloud-gazing," Sasuke grumbled before hurrying to catch up with them.

* * *

_A/N: Haha, I love writing Shikamaru teasing Sasuke…_

_Anyways, just wanted to say two things: _

_1.) I actually would prefer Naruto to be with Hinata, but in this fic I don't really see how that can happen. I would only accept Naruto and Sakura in an AU fic that's written well, or that has realistic elements to support the relationship. I. Hate. Canon. Sakura._

_2.) I LOVE MY SASUKE. Not canon Sasuke, MY Sasuke. =) Oh, and Shikamaru is MY FAVORITE CHARACTER EVER in Naruto! Who knew laziness could be so sexy, haha!  
_


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Sigh. So I would just like to make a comment on how I've portrayed Jiraiya. While he's a pretty awesome character, it's hard for me to make him seem like a better person when there is no evidence in the manga that suggests that, despite his role as Naruto's godfather, he actually DID anything to help Naruto before their first meeting…when Naruto was what, 13? It literally seems as if Jiraiya forgot that Naruto existed, leaving him to all kinds of torment and abuse. I can't help it if that's the way it was in canon – I'm just trying to stick with that, while also trying to make Jiraiya's actions plausible. Don't know if I completely succeeded, but that's what I was trying to do!_

_Of course, when Kishimoto-sensei was writing Naruto's back story, he probably hadn't created Jiraiya's character yet… Well, it's HIS fault for not planning out his story before he wrote it! _

_- _ -'_

_

* * *

_

Chapter 12

When Naruto and his friends finished cloud-gazing, he returned home and collapsed onto his bed, emotionally drained. Even though he had put on a happy face for his friends, he was still upset inside. His emotions raged within him, a roiling mixture of anger at himself and panic at trying to picture Ino's face without it morphing into her mother's. He hated that she was still affecting him even after all of this time…

He sighed and turned over on his bed, hearing Sasuke's words echoing through his mind:

_Ino doesn't know. She deserves to know. She's your friend, right? She deserves to know the truth._

Naruto gulped as his stomach wriggled nervously. He hadn't had to deal with this kind of thing when he had told his other friends! He didn't know where to even _begin_ to tell Ino about everything!

He knew he shouldn't be worried, seeing as his other friends had immediately accepted his secret, but Ino had gone through so much more than they had. Would she react in the same way, or would she…agree with her mother? And on top of that, Naruto had no idea where Ino's father stood on this issue. How did he feel knowing that his only daughter was friends with the Kyuubi's host? Certainly he couldn't approve!

But Shikamaru's and Choji's parents did. Even Sakura's mother, who was a civilian, accepted their friendship despite knowing how he was usually treated. He had nothing to fear.

Naruto lay on his back and stared up at the ceiling, abruptly recalling Inu-san calling him brave. Was he really _brave_ though?

Suddenly he frowned and clenched his fists. He was sick of feeling sorry for himself. He _was_ brave! He could do this! Naruto got up and left his apartment, remembering that Iruka had a conference and would be home late. Now was his chance.

The sun was just starting to set as he made his way toward the Yamanaka's, keeping his eyes open and wary for any signs of danger. He didn't expect there to be any problems, seeing as the few people he passed by were hurrying home, trying to beat the sinking sun before twilight gave way to night.

When he arrived at the flower shop, he almost imagined that he could smell flowers. He stood to the side of the door, avoiding the light that flooded out of the opening and frantically tried to wrap his mind around what had to be said. Taking a deep breath, he knocked twice on the door, the sound echoing into the empty street. A moment later, Ino appeared and gasped in surprise at seeing him.

"N-Naruto! What are you doing here?" she stammered.

"I need to tell you something. Can I come inside?"

Ino blinked furiously in confusion, but stepped aside to let him in. Inside the room, which had once been filled with flowers, there were moving crates and half-unpacked boxes. The shelves were bare, the walls vacant. And permeating everything was the lingering smell of flowers, as if they refused to die. He shuddered at that thought and plowed forward into the back where there was an entrance to their home. He wound up in the kitchen, and Naruto had to pull himself together from all the memories there. He could almost smell the scent of cookies baking in the oven…

"Naruto, what's the matter? Are you okay?" Ino asked. In the light of the kitchen, Naruto could see how sunken her face had become, how her normally styled blond hair was waxy and limp, and felt guilt stab at him. When he met her eyes, he had to stop himself from cringing, knowing that he was imagining the sudden malice that had appeared in those swirling depths.

"I…" he started lamely, overwhelmed abruptly by the need to flee, to run, to escape while he could.

Ino appeared just as unsettled, her confident self a shadow beneath her grief.

"Naruto," stated a deep voice, and Naruto couldn't stop himself from jumping when Inoichi entered the room, his brow furrowed into a scowl. "What are you doing here?"

He couldn't do this, he couldn't do this! Naruto suddenly found it hard to breathe. He squeezed his eyes shut, stamping down his terror.

"I-I need to tell Ino something, because she's my friend and she deserves to know," he practically shouted.

Inoichi raised an eyebrow.

"It's…it's about the Kyuubi," Naruto choked out.

A warning flashed in Inoichi's eyes, and he tensed violently.

"It's okay!" Naruto hurriedly reassured him. "The Hokage said that I'm allowed to tell people."

Inoichi's jaw worked furiously before he spoke in a clipped tone.

"That may be so, but I don't think—"

"It's only fair. My other friends already know. And I think it might help," he added softly.

Inoichi thought for a moment before giving a terse nod.

"What are you talking about?" Ino spoke up angrily, not liking to be left out. "What's this about the Kyuubi? It's gone, isn't it?"

This was it.

Naruto turned to her, and his eyes leveled with hers, both full of pain and sorrow.

"The Kyuubi wasn't killed. The Fourth Hokage only managed to seal it inside a newborn baby before dying."

Ino frowned. "But, what—?" Then suddenly her eyes widened and she gasped, shaking her head. "Not—?" she breathed in horror.

"Yes. It was sealed inside of me," Naruto forced out, his throat dry.

Ino clapped a hand over her mouth, her brain working to comprehend this huge statement.

At last, she spoke in a small voice.

"That's why…that's why Mom… And your healing thing! And why everyone treated you so… But why? It's only sealed inside of you, right?" She gazed at Naruto with a desperate look in her eyes.

He nodded slowly. "It's sealed inside of me, but people…they think…" he couldn't finish as his throat closed and tears streamed down his face.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" he choked brokenly.

Ino stood hesitantly, aghast. "Why…why are _you_ apologizing?" she demanded, trembling.

Naruto shook his head, helpless to respond.

Ino stared at him, uncomprehending, as Naruto's self-hatred battered him.

All of a sudden, two rough hands were bracing his shoulders. He gasped as Inoichi knelt before him, the neutral mask the man usually wore replaced by a pain-filled expression.

"No, Naruto. No. You did not do this. Do not blame yourself."

"But—" he protested feebly. _But if I hadn't become Ino's friend, none of this would have happened. She would've been happier, safer, without me. Your family would've still been together, and she wouldn't have had to go through so much pain…_

Inoichi shook Naruto.

"I mean it, Naruto. It's not your fault. And neither I nor Ino regrets you coming into our lives."

Naruto turned his watery gaze upon Ino, who straightened proudly.

"You're my friend, Naruto," she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"And I'm glad you are her friend," Inoichi added. "You are a good boy, and a wonderful friend. I think that much is clear by you even coming here when I'm sure this place only holds bad memories for you."

"It holds good memories, too," Naruto hiccupped shyly, causing a small smile to break out on Inoichi's face.

"You're a strong kid, you know that? I bet you're going to make a fine ninja one day," he said gruffly as he stood up, slightly awkward.

"Yeah!" Ino heartily agreed, covering for her father as she skipped forward and pulled Naruto into a hug. "You'll do great at the Academy! And if not, I could always help you! My dad's been teaching me a lot about all sorts of things. I used to think they were boring and stupid but now I think they're kind of interesting, though I wish ninja outfits were more stylish. I'll probably end up making my own though. Hey, did you know that female ninjas get their own class? I know you won't be in it, but maybe I could learn some things and then teach them to you afterward. What do you say?"

Naruto blinked at her explosion of words. Ino giggled at the look on his face.

"Okay, it's a promise then!"

"What?" Naruto cried in fear, not knowing what she was talking about.

Ino waved her hand dismissively as she grinned mischievously.

"Don't worry about it. That's for me to know and you to find out!" At Naruto's expression, something occurred to her. "Oh, it's late! Have you had dinner yet? I heard you were living with Iruka-san, right? I bet he's giving you tons of help for the Academy, but oh well. I'll just have to drop by sometime and get some help that way. Or maybe I could teach you and you could teach me?" She stopped to hum thoughtfully before shrugging. "I guess we'll figure it out later. You'd better get home though if you want to eat. We kind of still need to finish unpacking."

Ino paused to smile and slowed down. "And guess what? I'm going to reopen the flower shop! I didn't think I would, but I've been thinking that I don't want flowers to always be a bad memory for me. And hey, I love flowers! Who says they have to be something bad?"

Naruto managed a smile in return, her thoughts mirroring his exactly.

"I can't wait to see it," he said sincerely.

"Me neither! I'm going to be running it mostly by myself so I know it'll be awesome!" Ino declared, the light returning to her eyes.

Naruto chuckled and then slowly headed toward the door.

"I guess I should be going then," he murmured.

"Stop by anytime! Oh, and I'll see you at the Academy! Since we're in the same year we should have a few classes together."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed as Ino waved goodbye and disappeared deeper into the house.

Naruto unlatched the door and stepped outside, surprised when Inoichi came with him, hovering in the doorway.

"Naruto, thank you for what you did in there. That was very brave of you."

Naruto blushed. "I…well…does Ino even remember what I told her?"

Naruto winced as Inoichi burst out into a loud, barking laugh.

"Honestly, the Kyuubi is not nearly as important as what she's going to wear on the first day at the Academy!" he laughed.

Naruto found himself giggling too, no longer quite so intimidated by the man.

Inoichi stopped suddenly and clapped a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Now, you stay safe, Naruto. Good luck with everything. Send Iruka my regards. I'll be seeing you," he said as Naruto returned the gesture and headed home.

The shadows of the night didn't seem so scary anymore, not when he had the Hokage Monument in the distance to guide him home. Naruto was shocked to find himself smiling. All of a sudden, he grimaced.

Ino had spoken of a class only for girls, right? Had he just promised to allow her to teach him what she learned in there? Oh no! He didn't want to learn _girly_ stuff! He was a boy! There was a reason there were two different classes!

When he confessed this fear to Iruka later that night, the scarred man just laughed.

"Oh Naruto!" he guffawed, ruffling the blond's hair affectionately.

Naruto pouted petulantly as he smoothed his hair back in place.

"It's not funny!"

Iruka tried not to laugh, but Naruto's face set him over the edge.

"I can't breathe!" Iruka gasped as a wicked glint appeared in Naruto's eyes. With a fierce war cry, Naruto decided to take advantage of the situation and tackled the chuunin to the ground, where they commenced a rather unfair wrestling match.

After all, Naruto was clearly a highly-trained professional.

* * *

"DAD! Dad! Wait up!"

Iruka paused and turned around, grinning as he saw Naruto trotting down the hallway of the Academy, waving his arms. He had just been about to head for home, unsure if Naruto would want to walk with him, when the blond arrived with perfect timing.

"Naruto!" he cried as he hugged the boy quickly, daring the other sneering teachers to interfere. "How was your first day?"

Naruto's face lit up and he began to ramble breathlessly as they emerged into the street.

"It was so cool! There are a bunch of other people in my class that I don't know, but everyone I do know is there! I sat next to Sasuke and Shikamaru, and they just kept writing angry notes to each other all day long, though I'm not sure if they were really angry, since I couldn't read it very well. I think mostly Sasuke was mad, but he's always mad and I don't think he really means it. Shikamaru was more bored than anything, and he almost fell asleep! I didn't fall asleep though—"

At this, Iruka had to roll his eyes. Of course Naruto wouldn't have fallen asleep – he had been one big ball of energy that morning, having stayed up most of the night to fantasize what his first day would be like. Iruka had felt kind of bad for his teacher as he dropped him off that morning after walking him to the Academy. A hyped-up Naruto wasn't a very focused Naruto.

"— and then there's this kind of shy girl I think with short black hair and no eyes, like Ino, except I'm pretty sure she's part of the Hyuuga clan, though she smiled at me so maybe she's not so bad. Then there's this other guy with weird things on his face and a dog on his head and—"

"A dog on his head?" Iruka repeated dubiously.

Naruto nodded vigorously. "Uh huh, uh huh! And it was a _real_ dog and it almost bit my fingers off! I didn't know pets were allowed in the Academy but I guess they are, because the teacher didn't yell at him or anything. Then, the weirdest of them all, is this one kid with a face I couldn't even see! He wore sunglasses _inside_ and his jacket was all pulled up and I swear when I got next to him there was a buzzing sound!"

Iruka chuckled at Naruto's appalled expression.

"He's probably an Aburame then."

"A what?"

"Just like the Naras and the Akimichis, the Aburames are a clan here. They specialize in using insects."

"_Bugs_?" Naruto gulped, his eyes wide. He scrunched up his nose. "Really?" Suddenly his face became horrified. "Could he make the bugs attack me?"

"Yes, probably," Iruka admitted.

"I should get Jiraiya-san to come with me then! Then we could summon those giant toads and he wouldn't be able to do anything!"

Iruka sighed inwardly. "Now, don't be mean to the other students, Naruto. I'm sure the Aburame kid won't set his bugs on you if you don't bother him." _At least I hope he won't…_

"I know, I know!" Naruto burst out exasperatedly. "But in the future I got to be prepared! Maybe Jiraiya-san can teach me how to summon those toads now?"

Iruka swallowed thickly. "Naruto?" he started gently. Naruto gazed at him, worry clouding his eyes at the expression on Iruka's face.

"What is it, Dad?"

Iruka had to bite back all of his anger as he formulated the words to say.

"I'm…I'm afraid Jiraiya has left Konoha. He…he had some important things to do."

Naruto's face fell. "Oh." There was silence for a moment. "He didn't like me, did he?"

Iruka cursed the Sannin under his breath.

"Not at all, Naruto. He loves you very much. He just has a very important mission to do. He…he wanted to stay with you, but he couldn't."

"Then why didn't he say goodbye?" Naruto asked in a small voice.

"He's a very busy man, Naruto," Iruka strained, unintentionally radiating a massive killing intent around the marketplace which caused passersby to stare in alarm.

"Oh, right," Naruto mumbled, unconvinced.

"Well, you know, I'm starving!" Iruka declared with a sudden, broad smile. "I think dinner is in order. How about Ichiraku's?"

Naruto's eyes lit up as he jumped into the air, pumping a fist.

"YEAH!"

"Alright, let's go! You can finish telling me about your first day."

"Okay! So we started to learn about this really cool thing…"

* * *

That night as Naruto was settling into bed, he reflected on his day, and wondered if he should've told Iruka about the teachers at the Academy. His main one clearly knew Naruto's secret and despised him for it, though he was kinder than most by simply ignoring him. That of course annoyed his friends, who demanded that their teacher acknowledge Naruto, though the man refused and was close to punishing them for speaking up.

Naruto sighed.

It was clear that his time at the Academy would not be as easy as he had hoped.

At least he had his friends on his side.

* * *

Naruto wasn't able to keep the teacher's treatment a secret for long. When his friends were visiting once, Iruka overheard them talking and grew furious. Naruto watched with fearful eyes as his dad stormed out of the building to talk to the Hokage. Though Naruto was grateful for the man's effort, he knew it would probably be no use. He had learned that by now, though it didn't bother him so much. As long as he had people who accepted him for who he really was, it didn't matter what the others thought. He would just have to prove them wrong when he became Hokage!

Besides the teachers, the Academy was shaping up to be a very difficult experience for Naruto. He was a naturally slow learner, and it took him much longer to learn things that the other students immediately understood. For that, some of the others picked on him…at first. After meeting Sasuke's fists, they changed their minds and ended up staying well away from him, which Naruto actually preferred.

In class, it was also clear that Naruto's childhood had really hindered his development. Having had no one to teach him how to read had really set him back, and he struggled with it. Shikamaru and the others helped him whenever they could, but sometimes Naruto just couldn't get it. It didn't help that the teachers liked to point out this weakness of his, and ask him to read pages aloud even though they knew he wouldn't be able to.

Naruto was, by far, best at the physical training they received, and thanks to Iruka's and Sasuke's coaching, he was close to the top in terms of skill. Of course, he often wondered if his friends (except Sasuke) were purposely going easy on him…or if they were just too lazy (in Shikamaru's case). Either way, he worked hard to beat them and practiced every day before and after school.

In addition to this routine, Naruto also spent a great deal of time with Sasuke. They did everything together – they trained, they studied, they ate – and it was just a matter of time before Sasuke visited his apartment for the first time and continued to come back. Unfortunately, Sasuke seemed to have an aversion for Iruka, and was never truly open or talkative when Iruka was in the room. Naruto tried to correct this, to find a solution for Sasuke's apparent dislike of the older man, but when it became obvious that it wasn't going to change anytime soon, he deigned to stay in his room with the door closed until dinner was ready, at which point Sasuke would leave without a word.

It frustrated Naruto that his friend would so openly snub his father figure, but Sasuke was obstinately close-mouthed about the issue and refused to even discuss the matter.

Iruka, for his part, told Naruto that it was alright. While he hadn't expected the Uchiha to be completely open around him, he certainly hadn't expected him to completely ignore him, though he wasn't really bothered by it. He understood what Sasuke was going through as an orphan, and couldn't imagine the tenfold increased pain he must be experiencing at the total annihilation of everyone in his clan. Not wanting to cause the quiet boy any more problems, Iruka was complacent to follow through with their arrangement. That is, until one day when Iruka knew that things had to change.

He was preparing dinner, humming to himself as he stirred ingredients together. He could hear the murmurs of Naruto and Sasuke through Naruto's bedroom door, and hoped they were discussing the components of their upcoming test and not just chatting frivolously. As he thought this, he ground his teeth in fury as he hoped Naruto's teacher would take the barely disguised _hint_ that erasing Naruto's correct answers was _not_ an option for him.

Iruka hated that after all Naruto had gone through, he still had to endure such harsh treatment. It just wasn't fair.

All of a sudden, there was a loud interruption that broke him out of his musings.

"WHY DO YOU CALL HIM THAT? HE'S NOT YOUR FATHER!"

Iruka's heart grew cold. He stared in shock as Naruto's bedroom door flew open and out stalked a furiously panting Sasuke whose eyes glinted dangerously.

"What's your problem?" Naruto yelled after him, glaring as he trailed after him.

Sasuke didn't answer as he slammed the apartment door on the way out. Naruto and Iruka, frozen in place, heard him stomp angrily down the stairs.

"Naruto, what's going on?"

Naruto's face was pale as he shook his head helplessly. "I don't know…I was just telling him about some of the stuff you've taught me…and he got mad at me for calling you 'Dad'."

Iruka's throat felt tight. "Really?"

"Then he kind of freaked out and left," Naruto continued, turning to gaze up at Iruka. "What was with him? Why was he so mad? I've called you Dad before lots of times in front of him and he never acted like this. I mean, I don't see a problem with calling you Dad, but why would he have a problem with it?"

Iruka felt joy at Naruto's words even as he puzzled over Sasuke's behavior. The answer, suddenly, dawned on him and he felt like an idiot.

"A year. It's been a year," he said, his eyes finding the calendar on the wall.

Realization dawned in Naruto's eyes.

"The Uchiha clan…they were wiped out a year ago?"

Iruka nodded solemnly. "Yes, the anniversary is tomorrow."

Naruto stared at his feet guiltily. "Now I feel bad for yelling at him."

Iruka didn't know what to say to that and simply sighed.

"You can apologize to him tomorrow, I'm sure," he said, wondering if Sasuke was going to show up at school or not.

Needless to say, when Iruka spotted the morose Uchiha down the hallway of the Academy, he was a bit surprised. Sasuke looked even more withdrawn than usual, and his lips were pressed tightly together, as if to keep himself from crying out. Iruka felt something stir within him, something beyond pity – empathy.

"Hey Sasuke? Can I speak to you for a minute?" he asked, calling the boy over. Sasuke reluctantly obeyed and refused to meet his eyes.

Iruka inhaled deeply, wondering where to begin.

"Listen, Sasuke, I'm not saying this because I pity you. Just know that, okay?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I…I know what you're going through. Maybe not to your full extent, but I also lost my entire family when I was only a little older than you."

He waited patiently for any kind of reaction, but Sasuke remained unmoving.

Iruka raked a hand through his hair.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is…if you ever need someone to talk to, you can drop by anytime for as long as you want. Naruto and I are here for you."

"How did they die?"

Iruka jumped at Sasuke's voice.

"Oh, I'm surprised Naruto didn't tell you," Iruka said with a sad smile. "They were killed when the Kyuubi attacked Konoha."

Sasuke gasped and stared up at him. "But…Naruto…?"

"It's alright," Iruka smiled. "I came to the same conclusion that you did: Naruto isn't the Kyuubi. He's just a kid that has nowhere to go. And hey, we orphans should stick together, right?" He attempted to chuckle but his humor fell short at the look in Sasuke's eyes.

Iruka softened.

"You're always welcome to come live with us," he said gently.

Suddenly Sasuke flared up in anger. "You're not my dad! LEAVE ME ALONE!" He shoved Iruka backwards as he fled down the hallway, disappearing around the corner.

Iruka sighed painfully. He had tried. Unfortunately, it was clear that it would take Sasuke a long time to heal, though he knew from personal experience that 'heal' was a relative term. One could never really 'heal' from something like that. Time simply glossed over the wound.

Still, Iruka was heartened when, only two weeks later, Sasuke agreed to sleep over their house.

Naruto was excited for their get-together, though Iruka could tell he was worried about having Sasuke there when his nightmares flared up. Iruka assured him that Sasuke wouldn't care even if he did, and Naruto decided to accept that and simply prepare to have fun.

"Okay, list the shinobi rules," Sasuke said as he lounged on Naruto's bedroom floor.

Naruto, who was laying upside-down on his bed, groaned.

"Ugh, I never remember all of them!" he whined.

"There's only five of them," Sasuke pointed out, smirking as Naruto growled at him.

"Yeah, well—"

"You're an idiot?" Sasuke supplied, muffling a snort as Naruto, enraged, tried to move to tackle Sasuke but only succeeded in falling off his bed and hitting his head.

"Ow," he moaned, rubbing his head and shooting Sasuke a glare.

"Can you at least remember _one_, or did you just destroy your last brain cell?"

"Stupid Sasuke," he cursed under his breath before frowning in concentration. "Umm… 'A shinobi must always put the mission first'."

"Uh huh."

"Uh…something…something about seeing underneath stuff?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "'A shinobi must see underneath the underneath'," he recited.

"Oh, right!"

"That's two," Sasuke reminded him, holding up two fingers.

"Oh, oh! 'A shinobi is to never question their leading ninja'!"

"Three," Sasuke said, adding a finger.

Naruto bit his lip, thinking hard. "Then there's that one where…where you need to…to make sure…of something…"

"Wow. Specific. You're way off," Sasuke snorted wryly.

Naruto scowled at him before a lightbulb went off.

"'A shinobi will prepare before it is too late'!"

"Finally! Okay, one more to go."

"Oh! This one's the stupid one, right? Something about not crying?"

"It's not stupid," Sasuke retorted. "'A shinobi must never show tears'."

"I think that one's dumb," Naruto said.

"Yeah, well can you picture a shinobi crying?" Sasuke demanded scathingly.

Naruto tugged at his hair sheepishly. "Um, kind of, yeah. I mean…I've seen Dad cry."

Sasuke looked disturbed at that. "Well, real shinobi don't cry."

"Are you saying my dad's not a real shinobi?" Naruto yelled, lunging forward and wrestling with Sasuke, who quickly pinned him.

"No. Iruka-san works at the Academy."

"So? He's been on missions!" Naruto protested, struggling vainly against the strong Uchiha.

"I just think it's dumb to show that kind of weakness," Sasuke argued matter-of-factly.

"Well, _I_ think it's dumb not to! You can't keep it all inside forever! That'll just make it hurt more! I think the rule is not to show tears in _battle_. Shinobi _can_ cry, just not on missions or something where they could be in trouble if they do."

"You're such a moron," Sasuke grunted as Naruto managed to escape.

"Oh yeah?" Naruto challenged.

"Obviously," Sasuke scoffed.

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Iruka demanded as he opened the door and gave the boys a look. "I thought you two were supposed to be studying? That's why Sasuke's staying over tonight – it's not so that you can get in more taijutsu practice!"

Naruto made a face. "We _were_ studying!"

"Of course you were," Iruka said deadpan, not fooled.

"But we _were_!" Naruto insisted.

Iruka threw up his hands. "Alright, alright! Well, it's getting late anyways. You two should probably get to bed. You've got a big test tomorrow bright and early." He smiled as Naruto scrambled into his bed and Sasuke into his futon on the floor. At the door, he turned off the light switch and darkness flooded the room. "Don't talk too much, boys," he warned them as he closed the door. They heard his padding footsteps recede into his own bedroom.

"Ohh I hope I do well on the test tomorrow!" Naruto whispered anxiously. "I just wish all the answers wouldn't fly away the moment I sit down!"

Sasuke snorted.

"It's not funny!" Naruto pouted, glaring into the darkness at the murky shape that was Sasuke.

"I thought it was. Now shut up, idiot, I want to get some sleep. You'll be fine tomorrow."

Naruto was quiet for a moment. "You think so?"

"Yeah. Now good night."

"'Night Sasuke." Naruto turned over in his bed, mouthing the shinobi rules as his eyelids began to droop. Finally, he fell into a deep slumber.

It was in the middle of the night that he heard it. A stifled whimpering, quiet sniffling and stuttering breaths – the sound of someone crying.

* * *

It took a year for Sasuke's smile to reach his eyes, and another two for him to finally relent and move in with Naruto and Iruka.

And for the first time since the Uchiha massacre, he slowly began to feel like he had a family again, a family of broken souls and traumatic histories; a family of monsters and orphans.

* * *

_A/N: Phew! Well this was an emotional one, huh? Gah but I love Sasuke and I just had to do it! _

_And I know you all might be sad to hear this, but this is the penultimate chapter! __**There will be only one more chapter, and that will be the epilogue! **__I hope you stick with me until the end! I appreciate all of your reviews so much!_


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: So, I have arrived at the final chapter. I am a bit sad, actually. I've really enjoyed writing this story, and I am very pleased with how it ended up, considering that I had one scene in mind when I started and it became all of this! _

_**BEFORE YOU READ: **_

_**1.) To make the events below fit in with my alternate universe, I am having Shippuuden start when Naruto and the others are roughly 17 and 18 (and they are all chuunin or jounin by this point!)**_

_**2.) ALSO! THERE ARE PAIRINGS! NaruSaku and a mention of ShikaTema. Like I mentioned before, I actually prefer NaruHina, though I like to think that the events of this alternate universe have changed Sakura into a better character (in my opinion) so I could see them together here. As for ShikaTema, if you don't like it…well…boo because it's my favorite! **_

_P.S. There are a few random references in here to other things that I love. I will give you a cookie if you can find them and name them! _

_

* * *

_

Chapter 13_  
_

Seventeen-year-old Naruto shot upright in his bed, gasping for breath and sweating profusely. Glancing around in the darkness, he began to calm, the only sound his irregular panting underlined by peaceful breathing from Sasuke on the bunk above his.

Exhaling, he raked a hand through his hair, ignoring his body's trembling.

"Geez, I haven't had a nightmare that bad in ages," he muttered to himself quietly, knowing that Sasuke hated to have his sleep interrupted.

Shakily he got to his feet, trying to erase the images from his mind that had assaulted him. It had been a terrible collage of his life, highlighting all of the most painful moments – Sasuke almost dying in the Land of the Waves, the genin struggling to survive the Chuunin exams, fighting against the Sound Four and having Choji nearly die, fighting a few Akatsuki members and almost losing Ino, trying to save Gaara from those psychopaths and barely succeeding, and most recently dealing with the death of Team 10's sensei, Asuma.

It was a lot to have in your mind all at once, and Naruto had to take several deep, steadying breaths before he felt strong enough to exit his bedroom into the kitchen to get a cup of water.

While all of these events had passed and everyone had recovered from them, Naruto wasn't so sure the same would apply to Asuma's death. He knew how close Team 10 had been to their sensei, and he knew that his death had hit them hard, especially Shikamaru. He was worried that the Nara would do something stupid, and turn into how Sasuke used to be, bent on revenge.

Naruto sighed. It was also getting close to _that_ time, when his mind liked to dredge up memories from the past so that every night he would wake up after dreaming that he was falling, falling…

"What do you think you're doing?"

Naruto started and spit water all over himself, glaring at Sasuke whose red eyes flashed as he laughed.

"Hey!" Naruto whispered angrily at him, trying to be quiet, seeing as Iruka was sleeping in the next room.

Sasuke snorted as his Sharingan retreated.

"You really suck if you can't even sense my chakra a few feet away from you!"

"Oi! I was…distracted!" Naruto stammered furiously.

"As usual. What are you doing awake?"

"Uh, hello, drinking water!"

Sasuke wasn't fooled. "You had another nightmare."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Okay, so I did. It doesn't matter."

"You haven't had one in months."

"Yes, well…you know what's coming up. Just like you sulk about the Uchihas every year, I sulk about…that."

"But it hasn't been this bad in years," Sasuke persisted relentlessly.

Naruto grinned. "Aw, come on, I'm fine! It's been ten years. I can handle heights now." Even as he said it, he knew Sasuke was thinking about that time a few years ago at the Academy, when they had had an evacuation drill and students were filed outside and up the Hokage Monument to secret caves. Naruto had had a difficult time trying not to panic, and in the end, he had instead hyperventilated and fainted.

"I'm not talking just about heights, you moron. Don't play dumb."

"But I _am_ dumb! I was still dead-last and ended up on _your_ team," Naruto pointed out, grinning wickedly.

"Well, that may be true…" Sasuke conceded, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Don't worry about me, idiot. And before you ask where I'm going, _Mom_, I'm just going for a walk."

"At night?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Yup!" Naruto nodded vigorously.

"Because you can see at night?"

"There are such things as _lights_, Mom."

Sasuke scowled at him.

"Besides," Naruto continued lightly, ignoring Sasuke's death glare, "Foxy here lets me see in the dark." He indicated his stomach and Sasuke actually took a step back.

"It…what?" he stammered, flustered.

Naruto took one look at Sasuke's expression and burst out laughing, clapping a hand over his mouth to muffle the loud sound.

"You should have seen your face!" he gasped.

Sasuke did not look amused. Suddenly, he smirked evilly.

"Well, I don't think Iruka would like you to be wandering around alone," he threatened.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Fine. You want to play the hard way, huh? Well, you wake Dad and tomorrow morning I tell Ino that you whispered her name in your sleep last night."

Sasuke sucked in a breath. "You wouldn't!"

"Oh I would," Naruto grinned.

Sasuke jutted out his jaw. "Fine," he spat.

"Though I'm still going to tell her anyway!" Naruto choked, delighted, as Sasuke lunged for him and he sidestepped, watching in amusement as Sasuke was stopped by a huge yawn.

"Oh, go back to your beauty sleep," Naruto chuckled as he headed for the door. "I'll be back soon."

Sasuke, stifling another yawn, gave Naruto a look.

"I'll be here when you get back," he said seriously, his eyes tinted with worry.

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto said, waving his hand.

He lightly hopped down the stairs and let his feet take him where they would in the moonlight. He already had some vague idea of where as he passed the Hokage Tower and began to ascend the steps cut into the cliff behind it, ascending the Hokage Monument and making it to the top fairly quickly. Naruto's heart began to race as he walked through the picnic area and traced the familiar trail to the clearing at the edge where he had to stop.

He had made it this far after years of forcing himself, but never, _never_, had he been able to get himself to stand on that ledge and stare down into the abyss where he had fallen.

Naruto sighed. "How do you always find me here?" he said suddenly.

A pink-haired teen appeared from the forest and wound her arms around his body, hugging him from behind.

"Because I know you," Sakura replied. "And I was just on my way home from Ino's."

"In the middle of the night?"

Sakura shrugged as she nuzzled closer, resting her chin on his shoulder. Naruto could feel her breath in his ear.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep. We just got to talking and then…you know."

"How is she?"

Now it was Sakura's turn to sigh. Naruto shrugged out of her embrace and turned around to face her. Sakura's green eyes regarded him sadly.

"She's really upset, obviously. I mean…I couldn't even imagine losing Kakashi-sensei!" She shuddered and Naruto reached out to hold her close.

"Have you seen Choji or Shikamaru yet?" Naruto asked.

Sakura murmured into his chest. "Yeah. I talked to Choji earlier. He's dealing with it okay, I guess. Honestly, I'm more worried about Shikamaru. I tried to go see him yesterday but he wasn't there. I think he's avoiding us."

"Yeah. That's what I was afraid of," Naruto confessed.

There was silence for a while before Naruto spoke up again, teasingly.

"Wow, this is the longest it's been since you've scolded me for being up here. Usually you start yelling at me right away."

"I never _yell_ at you, Naruto," Sakura said pointedly.

"Tell that to my bleeding eardrums!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I just think it's stupid that you keep making yourself come up here, as if it's going to help!"

"Well, do you know a better way? You're studying to be a medic nin. You tell me!"

"Idiot," Sakura gently rebuked, playfully punching him in the arm (though she didn't hesitate to put some force into it).

"Ow!" Naruto whined, poking out his lip. "I knew I shouldn't have let you study with that Old Lady!"

"Well what was I supposed to do while you left me to train with Jiraiya-sama?" Sakura returned, smiling snidely. She _always_ won this fight.

"I don't know," Naruto mumbled, glancing back at the ledge and swallowing heavily. Sakura sensed his turmoil and squeezed him comfortingly.

"You idiot. Stop coming up here! You've made it so far, what does it matter that you can't get all the way out there?"

"Because if I don't, every year I'll keep getting these stupid nightmares!" Naruto exclaimed. "I'm so sick of them!"

"You only get them once a year now, though. That's a huge improvement."

"Yeah, but they still happen and I still have to see all you guys worry about me, and Sasuke tell me that he's there for me and Iruka say that he's willing to talk with me and even Kakashi-sensei go easy on me for a few days! He doesn't go easy on Sasuke when it's the anniversary of the Uchiha massacre!"

"That's because Sasuke-kun would probably kill him if he did. You know how he is about wanting to get stronger."

"Yeah, but I don't need any special treatment! I'm a jinchuuriki for crying out loud!"

"Just because you're a jinchuuriki, it doesn't mean everyone's going to stop caring for you," Sakura said, her tone serious.

"Aw, but why not?" Naruto answered playfully in a high-pitched voice, breaking the tension of the moment.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because some people…love you. But not me, of course," Sakura teased.

"Well I better get going then. Can't let my girlfriend know I'm here," Naruto whispered, chuckling as Sakura began to giggle.

"Can't have that, can we?" she agreed.

Hand-in-hand, they walked down the Monument and parted ways at the village square.

Naruto, on his way back home, abruptly decided to take a small detour to the Nara establishment. As he paused outside the gates, he could smell cigarette smoke and pictured the lazy chuunin slouching on the deck.

Without hesitating, Naruto leaped over the fence and landed right before Shikamaru, who, in his surprise, accidentally inhaled his cigarette.

"I told you those things were bad for you," Naruto intoned as he clapped the Nara hard on the back.

"Yeah, when you _swallow _them of course they're bad for you!" Shikamaru retorted sourly, coughing. "What are you doing here? You're lucky my parents know you and your chakra signature or the alarms would've been blaring by now!"

"Oh yeah…oops," Naruto said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"How did you even make genin?" Shikamaru wondered aloud.

"Umm…it helped that Mizuki was an idiot. He thought I would be freaked out by the whole Kyuubi thing, but I had known for a while so too bad for him that I beat him up!"

"You still stole the scroll! And read it!"

"Who am I to pass up an excellent, educational opportunity?" Naruto quoted proudly.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Iruka's been spoiling you, I see."

"If you call no ramen for a month being spoiled!" Naruto exclaimed before chuckling. "Yeah, wow, was he _mad_ after that!"

Shikamaru let out a small laugh before settling back into his position. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a nice long drag, blowing the smoke into the air.

Naruto wrinkled his nose in disgust before remembering his real reason for being there.

"Enough about me. What about you? Are you okay, Shikamaru?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Shikamaru replied immediately.

Naruto glanced at him skeptically. "Really?"

"Yes," he repeated patiently.

"…I don't think you are."

"So? What do you want me to say? Yes, Asuma was my sensei, and yes, he's…_dead_," Shikamaru's jaw tightened at the word. "What else is there to say?"

"Well, I know this is the first time you've…err…lost someone, so I thought maybe you'd be a bit sadder."

"First time?" Shikamaru repeated. "This _isn't_ the first time." He stared pointedly at Naruto, who comically looked over his shoulder, trying to figure out who Shikamaru was looking at. "Ugh," Shikamaru moaned. "What does Sakura see in you?"

Naruto grinned, but there were strong emotions in his eyes.

"Listen, Shikamaru. You can't just be like this. Don't…run from the world. Let out your grief."

"I don't need _you_ telling _me_ that," Shikamaru sighed, taking another puff of his cigarette.

"Just don't become a Sasuke, okay?" Naruto pressed.

Shikamaru snorted. "Are you kidding? You know I'm too lazy to be getting so worked up over revenge. Besides, I can't get nearly angry enough. Heh, Sasuke's probably pissed at me now for holding up his vendetta. You guys were going to leave soon, right?"

"Yeah, but we can wait a little while longer. Itachi's not going anywhere."

"You don't need to wait just for me, you know."

"I know. I'm just…worried about you. Not only you, but Choji and Ino too. You guys were there for me so…" Naruto trailed off, embarrassed at how emotional he was getting. He perked up as a new topic came to mind. "So, you and Asuma-sensei used to play shogi right? Want to play?"

"Now?"

"Yeah!"

"…Do you even _know_ how to play, Naruto?"

"Uh…no, not really. But you can teach me?"

Shikamaru groaned at the prospect but acquiesced. He produced the board and pieces and began to explain the rules. Part way through, he realized that Naruto was nodding off, and simply watched in amusement as the blond fell forward onto his face and dozed, a puddle of drool collecting next to his chin.

"He's right, you know."

Shikamaru sighed. "I know, Dad," he said as his father appeared behind him. He smirked at Naruto's ridiculous position and had to struggle not to choke on his cigarette _again_ when the blond began to mutter in his sleep.

Naruto spouted words like "banana king," followed up by what sounded disturbingly like "hamster jelly" and then mumbles about a man who turned into a cat after being hugged by a girl.

Even Shikaku raised an eyebrow at that last bit before smiling at seeing Shikamaru chuckling helplessly. He made a mental note to thank Naruto later, though the blond might not remember just how he had helped his son…

When his giggles subsided, Shikamaru snuffed out his cigarette and leaned back, sighing once more.

"It's going to be alright, Shikamaru."

"I know," Shikamaru whispered.

Shikaku cleared his throat gruffly. "Well, so, I think I'm going to go back to bed now. Unless you want to talk about anything else…What was that Suna shinobi's name that you've been seeing?"

Shikamaru groaned. "Temari, her name's _Temari_. And no, I don't want to talk about that, thanks. Good night, Dad!"

Shikaku chuckled, amused at the blush creeping onto Shikamaru's face.

"Alright. Good night." Shikaku disappeared into the house.

"Sheesh, why bring her up _now_ of all times?" Shikamaru mused to himself in the silence, broken only by Naruto's gentle snoring. Shikamaru felt a lump come to his throat as he reflected on how childlike Naruto was being – it reminded him very much of what Asuma and Kurenai's unborn child might be like, and how he needed to protect the real King of Shogi.

Tears streamed down Shikamaru's face as Naruto snored away, blissfully unaware. Shikamaru's chest constricted as he let out a sob, trying to remember the good times he had had with his sensei instead of reminding himself that they would never happen again.

As his tears dripped onto the porch, he couldn't help but smile as he recalled some rather scathing words from his ex-girlfriend. Would she have mocked him for crying now? Call him a crybaby again?

"Nah," Shikamaru said aloud, sniffling. Though she was still oftentimes scarier than his mom, she had a softer side too…though she rarely showed it. He felt somehow that she would understand.

"Wonder if she's back from her mission yet?" Shikamaru wondered aloud.

"You talking to me?" Naruto slurred as he sat up abruptly, blearily rubbing his eyes.

"Sure, _now_ you wake up," Shikamaru huffed.

Naruto shrugged. "Sorry. I just—" he yawned widely, "—didn't get much sleep."

"I figured that, seeing as you arrived around two in the morning."

"Hehe, yeah."

There was a short silence as both chuunin stared at the moon.

"What are you thinking about?" Naruto spoke up.

"A lot of things. Asuma obviously. And Temari a little bit."

"You going to get back together with her?"

"We never really broke up. She just kind of needed space, and she had to go on a mission anyways."

"Oh."

More silence.

"So, how far have you gotten with her? I mean, she's pretty hot—"

"Naruto!"

Naruto grinned wickedly, completely unashamed.

"I'm just wondering."

"Pervert. Clearly Jiraiya-sama's rubbing off on you, too."

"Hey!"

"You brought it up!"

"Yeah, so you going to answer or what?"

"Only if you spill about you and Sakura," Shikamaru compromised.

Naruto pouted. "No way."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You're so troublesome!"

Naruto stood up, laughing, as he straightened the cricks out of his spine.

"Well, I better get going. That stupid idiot at home's gonna be worried and then bitch at me for staying out too late."

Shikamaru snorted. "He really _has_ turned into a mom, hasn't he?"

"Don't let him hear you say that. He only lets me say it."

"So what is he going to do? Fight me?" Shikamaru slouched backward and grinned crookedly. "Bring it on."

"I'll let him know. He's an awfully bad morning person though, so he won't come looking for you until later."

"Predictable."

Naruto walked to the gate and paused before it. He glanced over his shoulder and stared at Shikamaru meaningfully.

"You should go see Choji and Ino," he suggested, though Shikamaru knew it was an order more than a suggestion.

He gave the blond a half-hearted smile. "I will. Promise."

Naruto nodded and waved as he vanished.

Shikamaru watched him go, running through his schedule in his head. He would have to visit his team after the meeting.

_Geez, why does everything have to happen all at once?_ he thought sourly.

Now he had way too much weighing on his mind.

* * *

"Okay, is everyone here?" Sakura called, scanning the group before her. The Rookie Nine were assembled in various seated positions around the table at a restaurant off the beaten track. It seemed that all were present, though there was a conspicuous lack of a certain blond jinchuuriki, though that was how she had planned it. Sakura just hoped Konohamaru would hold up his side of the bargain. She had paid that brat enough!

"Why did you call us all here?" Kiba demanded, raising a hand lazily before letting it drop onto Akamaru's head to scratch the dog's ears. "I have better things I could be doing."

Sakura glared at him.

"It's about…N-Naruto-kun, right?" Hinata spoke up, ignoring her teammate's rudeness.

Sakura nodded at Choji, who rose.

"Yes, it is. Now, I don't know how many of you know what happened almost ten years ago but…"

"The incident with Yamanaka Hanako," Shino spoke up. "I am aware of what occurred, but why should it be brought up again now? Is it not a sensitive subject?"

"Does everyone know about it?" Sakura asked, looking pointedly at Team 8.

"Duh. Of course we do," Kiba muttered.

Hinata's lips pressed tightly together as she nodded, looking pained.

"Well, the reason we're bringing it up is this: Ino?"

The group turned to Ino, whose face was pale.

"My mother's going to be released in a few days. Her…sentence has been served," she strained with a weak attempt for a smile.

Hinata gasped.

"She's going to be in the village again?" Kiba burst out, aghast.

"Where else would she go?" Sasuke cut in, giving the Inuzuka a look.

"Part of what she did was to protect me," Ino clarified in a shaky voice, "So Sasuke-kun is right. She's not going to be living with us, but she will still remain in the village."

"B-But she could still hurt Naruto-kun!" Hinata protested, flushing. Naruto was her hero, her inspiration and her first crush. She did not want that woman to hurt him again, to defeat him and crush his spirit. Her heart would break.

"Well, she couldn't hurt him physically," Shikamaru pointed out. "She's been in prison for a whole decade while Naruto's become chuunin. She's not a threat to him that way, especially with the Anbu on the lookout."

"Though, emotionally, she still could pose a serious problem," Sakura added. "We don't know how Naruto will react to seeing her again."

"And considering how he reacted when he first saw me, we kind of have to expect the worst," Ino confessed sadly.

There was silence as everyone processed this information.

"So what do you propose we do?" Shino asked.

Sakura smiled grimly. "Be prepared, I guess. Don't let him be alone. Keep an eye out for her and don't let him near her until he's ready."

"Oh come on!" Kiba scoffed. "He's a chuunin like the rest of his. Surely he can take care of himself!" The Inuzuka suddenly had to face the cold stares of most of his fellow shinobi as Sakura's particularly icy green orbs leveled with his.

"You weren't there right after it happened. You don't know what's at stake here. I won't let Naruto go back to how he was! He's come too far, made too much progress…We can't just let it all go to waste!" She emphasized her words by smashing her fists into the table, leaving a sizable dent. "I invited you because somehow Naruto considers you his friend, and you _owe_ it to him to help."

"Okay, I get it!" Kiba squirmed uncomfortably under their gazes. "I'll do what I can. Maybe Akamaru can get her scent and warn us away from her whenever she comes too close."

"I can place a female Kikai on her to track her," Shino offered stoically.

Sakura smiled at him gratefully. "Great. Thanks, guys. Just one more thing though – we can't let on that this meeting happened or that we're looking out for him. He's too prideful like that."

"I don't think you have to worry about that, Sakura. He's an idiot after all. He wouldn't be able to recognize something suspicious if it screamed in his face," Sasuke remarked flippantly, causing Shikamaru and Kiba to snort.

Sakura smiled sweetly at Sasuke, though there was a deadly glint in her eyes.

"Yes, well, just keep it all in mind when you see him."

There was a round of serious nods as the meeting dispersed.

"Do you really think this will work?" Choji spoke up anxiously as he caught up to Sakura outside.

"I hope so," Sakura said, her brows furrowed in worry.

* * *

Luckily, for three weeks straight, Operation Distract Naruto worked like a charm. Not only was Naruto oblivious to Hanako's presence in the village, but he was also ecstatic to have overcome his nightmares and surpass yet another anniversary. His thoughts were far from troubled as he concentrated on his new techniques, spent time with his friends and generally enjoyed himself. He didn't even question why one day Kiba started flailing at him and Sakura from down the street and a suddenly tight-lipped Sakura immediately turned them around. Instead, he simply attributed the Inuzuka's strange behavior to, well, the Inuzuka himself.

Naruto was as happy as he could be and suspected nothing…until one day a familiar face found his in the crowd.

Naruto was on his way to the Academy to surprise Iruka when he saw her. At first he thought he was seeing things. That was Ino in the distance, right? But…if it was, she was _different_. Older, wrinkled, with harsh, glaring eyes…

Naruto's heart froze in his chest and he immediately flashed back to his seven-year-old self, staring fearfully into those eyes as the world fell away from him…

He felt like he was going to be sick.

He staggered to the side and leaned on a building for support, feeling as if his entire body wanted to drag him to the ground. It was as if he couldn't feel the earth enough beneath his feet.

Naruto couldn't breathe. His nightmares returned full-force, replacing the younger images of Hanako with this gaunt, older and even more ghoulish version. Raw terror enveloped him, even more so when he realized that most of the villagers still hated him and wouldn't help him, would refuse to save him from her.

Just as he was about to panic, reason slammed into him.

What was he afraid of?

She was an old woman whose hatred had once been threatening but now…look what she had been reduced to! He was a chuunin! She had rotted in prison for ten years while he had only gotten stronger. He could defeat her. He wasn't a child anymore. He wasn't helpless.

Besides, where was the danger in this situation? So she was standing across the street with hatred in her eyes, what did that matter to him? She couldn't do anything to him even if she tried. He knew what she was really like, and he knew he couldn't trust her. He wouldn't make the same mistake his naïve seven-year-old self had.

Naruto had something precious now and he would never give up, especially facing this old hag.

With bravado that didn't quite penetrate his insides, Naruto straightened and boldly approached her. He chastised himself for flicking his eyes toward possible escape routes and reminded himself who the more powerful person was now.

"You survived," Hanako spat as he stopped before her, lifting his head high.

"Yes, I did," he returned, noticing just how pale she was, how dirty and limp she appeared. Only her eyes held the same spark, the same burning desire for vengeance that reminded him all too much of a certain Uchiha.

"You should have died. You _deserve_ to die," she snarled. "You killed so many people! I was doing this town a favor!"

Naruto bit back his fury and decided to channel Shikamaru's inner poise.

"I'm just a kid. Why do you think killing me would help?"

Hanako stared at him then burst out into harsh, barking laughter. The insane glint that appeared in her eyes only told Naruto just what prison had done to her mind.

"You actually think you're _human_?" she sneered. "Who told you that _lie_?"

"My father, and brother. My friends. Your daughter," he reminded her, wondering if he should feel bad at relishing the distraught expression on her face.

Hanako appeared stunned at this revelation and he could almost see the gears frantically turning in her mind.

"Inoichi corrupted her. He was always too…tolerant," she spat at last, the insanity in her eyes overwhelming.

Naruto met her eyes and wondered how he had ever feared her. She was nothing now, nothing but a sad old woman who had sacrificed everything for a misconception. Instead of being afraid of her, suddenly he was just very sad, knowing who she had been and seeing now how far she had fallen. The proud matron of the Yamanaka home was now an old crone, desperate for something to hold onto when all hope and reason had abandoned her.

How Naruto pitied her.

"You hear that, demon? I will find a way to get rid of you! This village may not see what I do, but I will make them! They'll realize that you are a monster and that monsters should be eradicated!" She was practically frothing at the mouth.

"I'm not a monster, and I'm not dangerous," he said, though a fraction of mind reminded him of the few times Kyuubi's chakra had leaked out and overpowered him. Luckily, while he was with Jiraiya, he had learned all he could about the seal on his stomach and how to strengthen it. The Sannin himself had even perfected the markings for now, at least until it began to weaken again with time. While it was a never-ending process, Naruto knew enough about it to realize that _he_ was in control, not the Kyuubi.

"I won't put Konoha in danger," he said aloud. "I'm going to _protect_ this village, my home! One day, I'm going to be Hokage _like my father_," he added to himself, "and I will put everything into making sure everyone, including you, is safe."

"Lies! LIES!" Hanako screeched. "You are nothing! You will never become Hokage! You are a monster, a demon, a freak!"

Naruto eyed the hysterical woman with a pitying expression, his eyes clouded with sadness.

"You're wrong," he said quietly. "I'm not nothing. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and my head is going to be on that Monument." He pointed toward the faces carved into the stone and smiled. "I know who I am."

And with that, he turned and walked away, ignoring the seething woman who shouted curses in his wake. Naruto was filled with a sense of purpose now, and a renewed sense of himself and who he was.

Warmth bubbled inside of him, invigorated him. He could do anything, _be_ anything, and no one could stop him.

His name was Uzumaki Naruto, and no one could take that away from him.

* * *

_A/N: Well everyone, I hope you enjoyed this! And yes, this was always how I was going to end it. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all my fantastic reviewers! You guys really inspired me, made me laugh, and gave me the confidence to write angst, as many of you admitted crying (and screaming!) at points in the story, and that's the highest praise an author can receive – emotional investment! I am honored by your tears, haha! _

_Thanks again reviewers:_

First and foremost, iheartmwpp, my amazing beta-slave who has endured so much of my insanity…I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EXISTENCE!

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